DUKE  UNIVERSITY  LIBRARY 
DURHAM,  N.  C. 


Rec'd. 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 
in  2015 


https://archive.org/details/armylettersof1861121defo 


Vol.  L 


No.  I. 


mm 


issued 


...  OF 


ONE  DOLLAR 
A  YEAR. 


TEN  CENTS  A 
COPY. 


"Personne." 

F.  G.  de  FONTAINE. 

War  Corresoondent,  &c. 

T  39  


War  Record  Publishing  Company, 

COLUMBIA,  S.  C. 

189S. 


1  OF  CONTENTS. 


I.  ..Montgomery,  Ala.    The  Provisional  Government;  an  humble  be- 
-        ginning;  jmvate  funds  pay  the  first  public  check;  Capt.  Deas 
and  his  Treasurv  warrant;  Capt.  Raphael  Semmes  carves  the  first 
'    -        official  seal.  ' 

II.  Montgomery,  Ala.  -  Why  the  Stars  and  Stripes  v^'ere  ignored;  not 
the  flag  of  the  Revolution;  first  raising  of  the  flag  by  Judge  Clith- 
erall,  of  Alabama;  what  the  emblem  signifies.  8-10 

III.  Cummings  Point,  Charleston   Harbor.    Castle  Pinckney,  Fort 

Moultrie  and  Fort  Sumter;  the  Washington  Light  Infantry;  Fort 
Sumter  occupied;  troops  mount  the  walls  of  Castle  Pinckney; 
vSuUivan's  Island  and  I'ort  Moultrie  seized.  10-15 

IV.  Charleston,  S.   C.    Official   visit  to  fortifications;   Col.  Maxcy 

Gregg's  regiment  reviewed;  how  the  boys  live  in  camp;  the  fluid 
\      countersign.  15-18 

vY.^  Charleston,  5.  C.    I'ractical  patriotism;  banks  take  the  State  loan; 

Henjamin  Mordecai  presents  $10,()()0  in  gold;  planters  give  slaves, 
and  foreign  citizens  send  cannon;  on  the  march.  18-20 

VL  Charleston,  S.  C.  Resignations  from  the  Cabinet;  Star  of  the 
West  fired  on;  Confederate  Government  assumes  control;  Gover- 
nor Pickens  notified  that  P'ort  Sumter  will  be  provisioned.  21-24 

VII.    Charleston,  S.  C.    Aprii,  11, — P'ormal  demand  for  surrender;  ar- 
rival of  troops;  old  men  on  guard;  Charleston  at  night.  24-26 

VII!.  Charleston,  S,  C.  Aprii.  12. — Fire  opened  on  Sumter;  scenes  in 
Charleston  during  the  battle;  at  the  batteries;  distinguished  vol- 
unteers. 27-32 

IX.    Charleston,  S.  C.    Aprii,  18. — Second  day's  bombardment;  Fort 
Sumter  on  fire;  painful  suspense;  the  flag  shot  away;  an  eiTand 
■  ■  .       of  mercy;  Col.  Wigfall  and  the  wliite  flag;  the  surrender.  83-36 

X.  ^  Charleston,  S.  C.  April  14. — The  P'ort  evacuated;  appearance  of 
the  fort;  experience  of  the  garrison;  injuries  to  the  Confederate 
batteries.  "  36-40 

OUR  CAMP-STOOL.  41-51 


TP)RMS:  fl.OOa  year  in  advance;  this  is  but  a  trifle  over  eight  cents 
a  copy.    vSingle  numbers  10  cents. 

WORTH  YOUR  ATTENTION.  If  you  will  show  "PERSONNE'S 
ARMY  LKTTP^RvS"  to  your  friends  and  secure  for  us  FIVE  new  subscrip- 
tions, sending  us  One  Dollar  for  each  name,  we  will  give  you  a  year's  sub- 
scription free  for  yourself  in  return  for  your  trouble. 

Send  Stamps  for  sample  copies. 

POSTMASTERS  and  Booksellers  are  agents  for  Subscriptions. 
Copies  are  sent  untrimmed  in  order  to  facilitate  the  wwk  of  the  binder.. 
Entered  at  the  Post-office,  Columbia,  S.  C,  as  second  class  matter,  and 
Copyrighted,  1896,  by  the 

WAR  RECORD  PUBLISHING  COflPANY, 


COLUMBIA,  S.  C. 


f  (o  l  ? 

ARMY  LETTERS 

OF 

"Personne." 

Vol.  I.  COLUAIBIA,  vS.  C,  1896.  No.  i 

INTRODUCTORY. 

The  republication  of  the  War  Letters  of  "Personne"  is 
begun  in  response  to  requests  from  many  persons  who  recall  the 
interest  aroused  by  them  during  our  struggle. 

It  is  true  that  between  1 861 -1865  the  conditions  were,  dif- 
ferent from  those  which  exist  now.  Then,  the  fighting  of 
the  Confederacy  were  away  from  home:  boys  scarcely  crossed 
the  threshold  separating  youth  from  maturity,  when  they  too 
eagerly  joined  their  fathers  and  brothers  in  the  field:  eyery 
thought  of  woman  followed  her  loved  ones  there,  while  the  aged 
head  of  every  household  impatiently  awaited  the  mails  .that 
brought  home  "Xews  from  the  Front."" 

Although  thirty-five  years  have  elapsed  since  those  exciting 
days,  their  memories  still  live  in  a  thousand  camps  of  Confed- 
erate \''eterans  and  are  not  likely  to  be  forgotten  by  their  Sons 
and  Daughters.  To  this  large  class,  these  letters  will  appeal 
with  renewed  interest. 

There  is  another  reason  why  they  should  be  reproduced. 
So  far  as  is  known,  only  two  copies  of  them  are  in  existence 
and  by  the  present  generation  the}'  never  have  been  read. 

T 

P2.  t  7  3  3 


Written  amid  exciting  and  rapidly  recurring  events,  from 
fields  of  action  in  South  Carolina,  Virginia,  Maryland,  Georgia, 
Mississippi,  Tennessee  and  Pennsylvania,  they  are  imbued  with 
the  warlike  atmosphere  that  pervaded  the  South  during  its  great 
contention,  and  by  reason  of  tlieir  fulness  of  detail  they  reflect  all 
the  cliarm  of  contemporary  interest.  Enjoying  the  freedom  of 
headquarters,  the  friendship  of  generals  in  command  and  a  wide 
acquaintance  with  the  officers  and  men,  the  author  was  thus 
afforded  special  facilities  for  witnessing  the  drama  in  all  its 
varying  phases,  and  in  familiar  language  he  told  the  story  of 
camp  and  field,  of  the  wayside  and  the  hospital,  long  before 
it  was  written  with  the  cold  lormality  of  the  professional  his- 
torian. 

To  the  V^eterans  and  Matrons  of  the  Confederacy,  these 
letters  will  therefore  recall  many  stirring  scenes.  To  their  Sons 
and  Daughters,  as  well  as  to  the  general  reader,  they  will  open 
new  chapters  in  the  history  of  the  strife,  illustrative  of  man's 
heroism,  woman's  devotion,  and  the  humour,  poetry  and  pathos 
of  the  time. 

Particularly  to  the  young  people  of  the  rising  generation — 
those  who  are  yet  attending  scliool  and  college — this  historical 
record  will  impart  much  inforn:ation  that  is  not  to  be  found  in 
the  books.  Above  all,  it  will  make  them  proud  of  the  fathers 
and  mothers  who,  in  the  hours  of  their  country's  travail,  learned 
''how  to  sufifer  and  grow  strong." 

F.  G.  De  Fontaine. 


THE  GEXESIS  OE  THE  COXEEDERACl 


Montgomery,  Ala.,  February  28,  1861. 

CO  WITNESS  and  record  the  birth  of  a  government,  to 
watch  the  swift  stream  of  events  hurrying  on  and  moulding 
without  fierce  revolution,  a  new  Conieaeracy  of  States,  is 
an  experience — a  sentence  written  in  the  story  of  a  man's  life, 
never  to  be  forgotten. 

During  the  last  thirty  days  momentous  things  have 
been  done  that  will  take  their  place  in  history.  On  the  4tli  inst. 
the  delegates  from  South  Carohna,  ^Mississippi,  Florida,  Ala- 
bama, Georgia  and  Louisiana,  met  in  Congress  and  organized  a 
Provisional  Government.  On  the  8th  a  Provisional  Constitution 
was  adopted.  On  the  9th,  Jefterson  Davis  and  Alexander  H. 
Stephens  were  elected  President  and  \'ice  President  of  the  Con- 
federation, and  on  the  i8th,  they  respectively  took  the  oath  of 
office  and  were  inaugurated. 

The  first  Cabinet  appointment  was  that  of  Hon.  C.  G.  Alem- 
minger,  of  Charleston,  as  Secretary  of  the  Treasury.  He  was 
also  the  first  official  called  upon  to  provide  "the  sinews  of  war," 
which  he  bravely  did.  out  of  his  own  pocket.  Following  this  ap- 
pointment were  those  of  Leroy  Pope  Walker.  Secretary  of  War; 
Robert  Toombs,  Secretary  of  State;  Stephen  R.  IMallory,  Secre- 
tary of  the  Xavy;  John  H.  Reagan,  Postmaster  General,  and 
[udah  P.  Benjamin.  Attorney  General.  Some  of  these  gentlemen 
as  yet,  have  no  business  in  hand,  and  Mr.  Toombs  humorously 
corn-plains  that  so  far,  he  has  "carried  his  office  around  in  his 
hat." 

That  the  government  literally  started  from  the  bare  ground, 
may  be  inferred  from  the  first  official  line  sent  to  the  printers, 
annoimicing  that  the  doors  were  open  and  "we  are  ready  for 
business."    The  notice  is  as  follows: 

"Alontgomery.  Ala..  Feb.  20th.  1861. 

"The  office  of  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury  of  the  Con- 
federate States,  can  be  found  in  the  Commercial  Building,  corner 
of  Commerce  and  ^Market  Streets,  ^vlontgomery,  where  he  or 
the  undersigned  can  be  found  between  the  hours  of  nine  A. 
and  three  P".  M. 

"H.  D.  Capers.  Clerk." 

3ylr.  Capers,  who  is  the  Pri\-ate  Secretary  of  Mr.  ^lemmin- 
ger,  relates  that  on  repairing  to  the  office  designated  in  this 
notice,  he  found  a  room  without  furniture  of  any  kind — only 
bare  walls  and  a  dusty  floor.  Capturing-  a  little  negro  on  the 
street,  he  installed  him  at  once  as  an  office  boy.  proceeded  tc 
''clean  up,"  and  in  the  course  of  the  day  secured  on  his  own 


3 


credit,  a  desk,  table,  chairs  and  other  appHances  for  the  conduct 
of  business. 

He  now  had  an  opportunity  of  looking  around  the  execu- 
tive headquarters,  of  which  he  was  thus  far  the  sole  occupant, 
and  says  that  if  the  architect  had  anticipated  the  organizatioi  of 
a  government  on  short  notice  and  had  been  required  to  prv>vide 
for  its  accommodation,  he  could  not  have  planned  so  small  a 
building  and  arranged  its  rooms  more  conveniently  for  the  sev- 
eral heads  of  departments.  On  the  lower  floor  with  entrances 
from  two.  streets,  was  formerty  a  banking  office  with  a  large 
vault  attached  and  rooms  in  the  rear.  On  the  flo'^r  above,  the 
arrangement  of  the  cabinet  offices  is  best  illustraced  by  the  fol- 
lowing diagram: 

FIRST    CONFEDERATE    EXECUTIVE  OFFICES. 


Commerce  Street, 


'              !  ' 

'vC 

_  1   ■   

^  i 

1  1 

-  \ 

1  On 

\ 

-1 

■i  1 

! 

'-) 

-C 

i 

!  O 

1  i 

'                                     Open  Court. 

1     .  : 

i  \ 

1     '     '  ' 

1-   -   ' 

1.  Chief  Clerk  State  Department. 

2.  Secretary  of  State. 

3.  President's  office. 

4.  Private  Secretary  of  President. 

5.  Secretary  of  Treasury. 

6.  Assistant  Secretars'  of  Treasury. 

7.  Chief  Clerk  Treasury. 
7  1-2.  Entrance. 

8.  Register  of  Treasury. 


4 


9"  Secretary  of  War. 

10.  Adjutant  General  and  Chief  Clerk. 

11.  Attorney  General, 

12.  Secretary  Xavy.  ' 
Dr,  Capers,  who  by  the  way,  is  the  son  of  Bishop  W.  T. 

Capers  of  the  Zvlethodist  Episcopal  Church  South  and  enjoys- 
the  distinction  of  being  the  first  departmental  employe  of  the 
new  government,  relates  an  incident  that  shows  how  small  were 
the  beginnings  of  the  Confederacy  and  how  meagre  were  its 
resources  in  the  face  of  a  great  emergency. 

■'I  had  just  entered  on  the  routine  duties  of  the  morning,''- 
he  says,  "when  a  bri^k  step  in  the  hall  and  a  sharp  rap  at  the 
door,  indicated  the  presence  of  some  one  on  an  earnest  mission. 
To  the  provincial  reply  "come  in."  there  entered  a  tall,  sol- 
dierly looking  person  with  the  air  of  one  accustomed  to  com- 
mand. He  at  once  inquired  for  the  ofBce  of  the  Secretar}^  of 
the  Treasury.  Being  informed  that  he  was  then  in  the  place, 
he  threw  a  half  sceptical  glance  around  the  room  and  stated  that 
he  desired  to  see  the  Secretary  at  once  and  on  very  important 
btisiness.  I  answered  that  ]\Ir.  ]\Iemniinger  being  engaged  at 
the  Capitol  would  not  be  at  the  of^ce  during  the  morning,  but 
tliat  I  might  possibly  be  of  service  as  his  representative.  There- 
upon, he  announced  his  name  and  lianding  me  a  note,  at  once 
unfolded  his  mission. 

"I  am  Captain  Deas  sir,  late  of  the  United  States  army  and 
have  been  instructed  by  the  President  whose  letter  of  introduc- 
tion to  the  Secretary  I  have  handed  to  you,  to  provide  blankets 
and  rations  for  one  hundred  men  who  have  reported  to  him  for 
duty  in  the  army.  I  want  the  mone}-  sir.  to  carry  out  the  order 
of  the  President." 

"Here  was  a  dilenuna.  I  assured  the  Captain  that  nothing 
would  give  me  m.ore  pleasure  than  to  comply  with  his  wishes, 
but,  drawing  a  lean  purse  from  my  pocket  I  added:  'Owing  to 
the  circumstances  of  the  past  two  weeks.  I  regret  to  say  sir,  that 
my  finances  are  quite  low  and  this  five  dollars  which  you  see,  is 
all  the  money  I  will  vouch  for  as  being  in  the  Treasury  depart- 
ment of  the  Confederate  States  at  this  moment." 

"At  first,  the  dignified  ofiicer  seemed  to  resent  my  facetious 
sally,  but  when  informed  that  I  was  scarcely  three  days  old  in 
a  department  service  that  began  its  career  with  my  presence,  his 
brow  relaxed  and  he  enjoyed  the  joke.  Something  had  to  be 
done  however,  to  m.eet  this  first  requisition  and  enable  the  gal- 
lant Captain  to  execute  his  first  order.  proceeded  at  once 
to  interview  ]\Ir.  ^lem.minger. 

"Congress  was  in  secret  session,  but  being  permitted  to 
communicate  with  my  chief,  he  promptlv  "^ent  me  with  a  note 


3 


of  introduction  to  Mr.  Knox,  the  President  of  the  Central  Bank 
of  Alabama  and  then  and  there  based  upon  the  personal  obli- 
gation of  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury,  was  opened  the  first 
credit  for  the  Confederacy. 

"Captain  Deas  and  myself  parted  at  the  jank  with  the  un- 
derstandmg  that  he  would  make  the  purchase  and  send  the 
bills  to  me  for  payment.  That  evening  I  visited  the  troops  in 
whose  behalf  this  exercise  of  executive  authority  had  been  ini- 
tiated and  found  them  to  be  a  company  of  one  hundred  men 
from  Georgia  under  the  command  of  an  officer  who  bore  the 
historic  name  of  George  Washington  Lee." 

In  making  mention  of  this  Georgia  company  it  must  not  be 
forgotten  that  the  four  companies  which  constituted  the  military 
escort  of  the  President  on  the  occasion  of  his  inauguration,  like- 
wise tendered  their  services  when  required  by  the  government. 

These  are  the  Columbus  Guards,  Lieut.  Ellis,  commanding; 
Independent  Rifles,  Capt.  Farris;  Eufala  Rifles,  Capt.  A.  Baker, 
and  German  Fusileers,  Capt.  Scheussler. 

While  the  first  expenses  of  the  Confederacy  were  thus  paid 
with  the  private  funds  of  a  single  individual,  the  tender  from 
many  other  sources  is  without  stint.  The  generosity  of  both 
persons  and  corporations  in  this  respect  and  the  desire  to  aid  the 
cause  even  in  the  humblest  manner,  appear  to  be  unbounded. 
Transportation  companies  are  offering  the  use  of  their  fines  free 
of  cost;  presidents  of  railroads  have  announced  their  intention 
to  reduce  the  rates  for  mail  service  and  for  the  conveyance  of 
troops  if  such  shall  be  necessary,  and  patriotism  in  its  most  un- 
selfish aspect  is  everywhere  manifested  by  people  of  high  and 
low  degree. 

Many  strange  faces  are  on  the  streets  of  Montgomery  that 
might  be  suspiciously  regarded  because  they  have  been  so  often 
seen  on  Pennsylvania  Avenue  in  Washington;  but  they  repre- 
sent a  very  considerable  number  of  gentlemen  whose  social  and 
political  sympathies  have  prompted  them  to  resign  prominent 
positions  in  the  United  States  treasury  and  other  departments 
and  to  their  individual  services  is  due  the  fact  that  within  a  week 
from  the  date  of  his  appointment,  Mr.  Memminger  was  able  to 
perfect  the  details  for  the  establishment  of  a  credit  for  the  Con- 
federacy. One  of  these  officials,  Mr.  Charles  T.  Jones  of  the 
Register's  Bureau,  in  addition  to  accurate  knowledge  and  long 
experience  has  brought  with  him  copies  of  the  forms  in  use  in 
all  of  the  several  bureaus  at  Washington. 

Conspicuous  among  the  strong  faced  men  who  have  been 
drawn  hither  and  one  of  the  first  to  report  to  the  President  for 
duty,  is  Capt.  Raphael  Semmes,  lately  an  officer  of  the  United 
States  Navy.    In  view  of  the  fact  that  we  have  no  Navy  Depart- 


6 


ment,  it  is  evident  that  his  activity  lias  a  distinct  purpose  m  some 
direction  not  yet  revealed.  Recently,  he  returned  from  New 
Orleans,  where  he  learned  that  a  vessel  belonging  to  the  New 
Orleans  and  Havana  trade  could  be  purchased,  and  with  the  ap- 
proval of  the  Executive,  he  has  arranged  for  her  transfer  to  the 
Confederate  service.  Eventually,  she  may  be  transformed  into  a 
privateer,  plans  for  the  purpose  being  already  in  hand. 

The  story  is  told  in  the  Treasury  Department  that  there 
being  no  seal  to  afhx  to  the  ship's  register  and  no  artist  to  make 
one,  the  old  sailor  himself  took  the  matter  in  hand,  procured  a 
large  wooden  type  from  the  Montgomery  Advertiser  office  and 
with  the  assistance  of  Dr.  de  Leon  of  the  army  and  the  private 
secretary  of  Mr.  IMemminger,  improvised  a  seal  Avith  pocket 
knives.  They  have  spent  many  patient  hours  in  "scooping  out" 
a  satisfactory  design,  but  it  is  now  complete  and  although  crude, 
very  fairly  represents  a  palmetto  tree,  (a  compliment  to  South 
Carolina,)  surrounded  ^.vith  six  stars,  beneath  which  are  cut  the 
words  "Treasury  Department"  and  above  whicli  are  the  words 
''Confederate  States  of  America."  As  a  further  compliment  it 
IS  said  that  the  newly  purchased  vessel  will  be  named  "Sumter." 
There  are  already  intimations  in  the  air,  of  letters  of  marque, 
bold  privateersmen  and  gallant  exploits  on  the  ocean  and  this 
device  may  yet  be  heard  from.  The  recent  proclamation  of  the 
President  inviting  applications  for  commissions  to  roam  the  seas 
has  already  had  a  stirring  effect. 

It  is  apparent  even  now,  that  there  is  a  dearth  of  suitable  en- 
gravers for  the  preparation  of  the  bonds,  certificates  and  Treas- 
ury notes  that  have  been  authorised  by  the  Congress,  but  stren- 
uous efforts  are  being  made  to^  procure  them  in  other  cities; 
meanwhile  government  supplies  of  paper  and  other  articles  are 
still  ordered  from  the  North.  We  can't  be  altogether  independ- 
ent in  a  moment. 

Personne. 


7 


THE  FIRST  CONFEDERATE  FLAG. 


Montgomery  March  5. 
HREE  days  ago,  the  seven  delegates  from  Texas  affixed 
tneir  nanies  to  tlie  Provisional  Constitution,  thus  formally 
adding  another  star  to  the  constellation  of  the  Confederacy. 
Yesterday,  just  one  month  since  the  organization  of  the  govern- 
ment, they  witnessed  the  hrst  raising  ot  its  flag. 

Since  the  meeting  of  Congress,  designs  for  a  Confederate 
flag  have"  arrived  m  numbers  sufficient  to  All  a  big  packing  box. 
They  have  come  from  far  and  near  and  are  of  all  shapes,  sizes 
and  colors.  Of  the  letters  received  with  them,  some  are  ad- 
dressed to  the  President,  others  to  Alexander  H.  Stephens  and 
Robert  Toombs  and  many  to  William  Porcher  Miles,  Chairman 
of  the  Committee  on  Flags,  but  all  breathe  a  spirit  of  enthusi- 
astic loyalty  to  the  new  government. 

Under  date  of  February  10,  a  South  Carolina  lady  writes 
that  she  has  "given  three  dear  boys  to  the  country"  and  hopes 
''the  young  republic  will  honor  the  rnemory  of  Washington  by 
dating  its  organization  from  the  twenty-second  of  February  and 
calling  it  the  Washington  Republic."  She  closes  by  saying  that 
the  Southern  Confederacy  has  the  sympathy  of  every  Southern 
woman — wife,  mother  and  maid — and  that  she  glories  in  being 
a  woman  of  the  South.  Another  letter  proposes  that  the  new 
government  shall  be  called  AUeghania.  A  desire  to  retain  as 
much  as  possible  of  the  old  flag  is  manifested  in  many  of  the 
letters.  One  writer  says,  "We  have  fought  well  under  our  glo- 
rious banner;  can  we  fight  as  well  under  another?  Never!  Alter, 
improve  it  as  you  will,  but  for  Heaven's  sake,  keep  the  Stars  and 
Stripes."  It  is  a  notable  fact  that  the  Southern  Cross  is  intro- 
duced in  a  large  number  of  the  designs  and  ranks  with  the  pal- 
metto tree  and  "lone  star"  as  a  distinctive  figure. 

Yesterday,  the  committee  having  the  matter  in  charge, 
through  its  chairman,  William  Porcher  Miles,  presented  its  re- 
port, and  inasmuch  as  it  may  not  be  immediately  published  in 
full  and  is  of  general  interest,  I  send  you  a  summary.  It  states 
that  "the  immense  number  of  models  submitted  may  be  divided 
into  two  great  classes,  first,  those  which  copy  and  preserve  the 
principal  features  of  the  United  States  flag  with  slight  and  un- 
important modifications,  and  second,  those  which  are  very  elal^o- 
rate,  complicated  and  fantastical.  The  objection  to  the  first  class 
is  that  none  of  them  could,  at  any  considerable  distance,  be  read- 
ily distinguished  from  the  one  which  they  imitated.  And  it  is 
superfluous  to  dwell  upon  the  practical  difficulties  that  would 
flow  from  the  fact  of  two  distinct  and  probably  hostile  govern- 


8 


ments  both  employing  the  same  or  similar  flags.  It  would  be  a 
pohtical  and  military  boiecism. 

"As  to  the  glories  ot  the  old  flag,  we  must  bear  in  mind  that 
the  battles  of  the  revolution  about  which  our  proudest  memories 
cluster,  were  not  fought  beneath  its  folds;  and  although  in  the 
war  of  1 812  and  the  war  with  i\Iexico,  the  South  won  her  share 
of  glory,  the  impartial  page  of  history  will  commemorate  the 
fact  more  imperishably  than  in  a  piece  of  striped  bunting.  When 
the  colonies  achieved  their  independence  of  the  Mother  country, 
they  did  not  desire  to  retain  the  British  flag  or  anything  similar 
to  it.  Yet  under  that  flag  they  had  been  planted,  nurtured  and 
fostered;  they  had  repelled  and  driven  back  the  savage  and  car- 
ried it  into  the  wilderness  as  the  standard  of  religion  and  civiliza- 
tion. Under  it  the  youthful  Washington  won  his  spurs  in  the 
memorable  expedition  of  Braddock  and  Americans  helped  to 
plant  it  on  the  Heis;hts  of  Abraham,  where  fell  the  immortal 
Wolfe. 

''But  our  forefathers  when  they  separated  themselves  from 
Great  Britain — a  separation  not  on  account  of  their  hatred  to  the 
English  Constitution  or  of  English  institutions,  but  in  conse- 
quence of  the  tyranny  and  unconstitutional  rule  of  Lord  North's 
administration  and  because  their  destiny  beckoned  them  to  in- 
dependent expansion,  cast  no  lingering  regrets  behind  them. 
They  were  proud  of  tlieir  race  and  lineage,  proud  of  their  her- 
itage in  the  glorious  genius  and  language  of  old  England,  but 
they  determined  to  bu'ld  up  a  new  power  among  the  nations 
of  the  world.  They  did  not  therefore  "keep  the  old  flag."  We 
think  it  good  to  imitate  them  in  this  com.paratively  little  matter 
as  well  as  to  emulate  t'rem  in  the  more  important  ones. 

"It  must  be  admitted  however,  that  something  was  conceded 
by  the  Committee  to  what  seems  so  strong  a  desire  to  retain  at 
least  a  suggestion  of  t]-e  "Stars  and  Stripes."  A  flag  should  be 
simple,  easily  made  ard  capable  of  being  made  up  in  bunting. 
It  should  be  readily  d'Ft'rguished  at  a  distance,  the  colors,  well 
contrasted  and  dural)le,  effective  and  handsome.  That  which 
the  Committee  subn  it  cop-bines  these  requisites.  It  is  entirely 
different  from  any  natioral  flag.  The  three  colors  of  which  it 
is  composed,  red  white  ard  blue,  are  true  republican  colors.  In 
heraldry,  they  are  en  bler  atic  of  the  three  great  virtues  of  Valor, 
Puritv  and  Truth.  >'^vrl  men  assure  us  that  it  can  be  recog- 
nized and  distinguisl- rd  r\  a  great  distance." 

"Your  Comn^ittee  ^^^erefore  recomm.end  that  the  flag  of  the 
Confederate  States  o''  .'^p-erica,  shall  consist  of  a  red  field  with 
white  spaces  extenc^"^^"-  ''horizontally  through  the  center  and 
equal  in  width  to  ore-''  '^^^  tl^e  width  of  the  flag.  The  red  spaces 
above  and  below  arc  ''^       of  the  same  width  as  the  white,  the 


9 


union  blue  extending  down  through  the  white  space  and  stop- 
ping at  the  lower  red  space ;  in  the  center  of  the  union,  a  circle  of 
white  stars  corresponding  in  number  with  the  States  in  the  Con- 
federacy." 

It  may  prove  an  interesting  historical  incident  that  this  first 
flag  was  raised  by  Judge  Alexander  B.  Clitherall  of  Mont- 
gomery. By  reason  of  his  connection  w-ith  the  Provisional  Con- 
gress, he  was  enabled  to  obtain  in  advance  of  its  publicity,  a  de- 
scription of  the  design  agreed  upon  and  with  the  aid  of  a  number 
of  ladies,  he  promptly  fashioned  a  flag  for  use.  Then,  repairing 
to  the  roof  of  the  Capitol,  he  awaited  halHard  in  hand  the  signal 
from  the  legislative  hall  below^  that  should  announce  the  vote  of 
approval.  But  an  instant  elapsed  after  it  was  known,  when  the 
graceful  folds  of  the  standard  were  waving  in  the  breeze.  The 
Congress  w^as  at  once  informed;  the  news  spread  through  the 
city,  a  throng  assembled  in  front  of  the  capitol  and  as  the  call 
of  the  sturdy  Alabamian  still  standing  at  his  post,  a  picture  of 
patriotic  animation,  rang  out  clear  and  distinct  as  a  trumpet,  they 
responded  with  a  mighty  shout  in  "Three  cheers  for  the  Con- 
federate flag." 

Per  SONNE. 


IMPORTANT  EVENTS  REVIEWED. 

Cumming's  Point,  Charleston  Harbor,  March  5. 

STANDING  today  by  the  Iron  Battery  on  Morris  Island 
looking  across  the  water  at  grim  and  silent  Sumter,  then 
glancing  around  to  various  points  where  the  Palmetto  flag 
marks  the  presence  of  earthwork  or  of  camp,  and  then  up  yon- 
der, nearly  four  miles  away,  to  the  ancient  city  so  rich  in  memo- 
rials that  long  antedate  the  birth  of  the  United  States,  a  train  of 
thought  moved  backward  to  the  peaceful  summer  of  i860 — six 
short  months  ago — and  dwelt  upon  the  strange  things  that  have 
since  produced  these  anxious  days  of  1861. 

Fort  Sumter  was  then  unfinished  and  unarmed,  although 
under  an  appropriation  made  by  Congress  in  June,  1859,  a  force 
of  laborers  in  charge  of  an  engineer  ofificer  was  engaged  in  com- 
pleting its  interior. 

Castle  Pinckney,  a  round  brick  fort,  grass-grown  and  de- 
cayed, standing  on  a  spit  of  land  at  the  mouth  of  Cooper  River, 
was  of  little  more  use  than  to  af¥ord  shelter  to  an  ordnance  ser- 
geant, his  family  and  the  twenty-two  guns  that  fringed  its  para- 

10 


pet  for  which  he  cared  and  that  made  the  harbor  scene  pictur- 
esque. 

Fort  iMoultrie,  occupying  the  site  of  the  old  palmetto  fort 
that  repulsed  the  British  fleet  under  Sir  Peter  Parker  on  the  28th 
of  June,  1776,  was  not  only  dear  in  name  and  association  to  every 
South  Carolinian,  but  had  long  been  an  attractive  spot  to  the 
people  of  Charleston.  The  garrison  consisted  of  two  companies 
of  the  First  United  States  Artillery  under  the  command  of  Lieut. 
Colonel  John  L.  Gardiner,  and  the  music  of  the  regimental  band 
enlivened  many  a  social  gathering  in  which  the  officers  and  their 
families  fraternized  with  their  friends  from  the  city,  with  never 
a  thought  of  war.  The  fort  was  armed  with  fifty-five  guns,  but 
Hke  Castle  Pinckney  it  had  fallen  into  a  condition  of  disuse  and 
was  practically  abandoned  to  the  spirit  of  hospitality. 

These  three  forts  and  an  arsenal  in  Charleston  containing 
22,000  stand  of  small  arms  besides  heavy  ordnance,  munitions 
and  supplies,  protected  by  a  military  storekeeper  and  fourteen 
enlisted  men,  comprised  the  sole  property  of  the  United  States 
in  or  around  Charleston  harbor. 

V\lth  the  election  of  Abraham  Lincoln  all  this  was  changed 
and  the  deliberate  purpose  of  the  State  began  to  take  shape; 
AMien  the  result  was  announced  Gov.  Gist  promptly  called  a 
special  session  of  the  Legislature  to  meet  on  the  5th  of  Novem- 
ber. Then  came  the  first  public  surprise.  Two  days  afterwards, 
on  the  /th  of  Xovember,  the  Grand  Jury  of  the  United  States 
District  Court,  through  their  foreman,  Hon.  Robert  Gour- 
din,  formally  refused  to  further  perform  the  duties  of  their  office, 
declaring  that  "the  verdict  of  the  Xorthern  section  of  the 
Confederacy,  solemnly  announced  throug'h  the  ballot  box  on 
yesterday,  has  swept  away  the  last  hope  for  the  permanence  and 
stability  of  the  Federal  government."  The  resignations  of  Judge 
A.  G.  Magrath.  of  ]\Iajor  D.  H.  Hamihon,  the  U.  S.  ^Marshal  of 
the  District  and  of  other  officials,  including  that  of  ^Ir.  \\\  F 
Colcock,  Collector  of  the  Port,  immediately  followed. 

On  the  15th  of  Xovember,  Col.  Gardiner  was  superceded 
in  command  by  ^lajor  Anderson,  and  the  Federal  authorities 
further  aggravated  the  red  hot  feeling  by  pressing  to  completion 
the  defences  of  the  several  forts.  The  simple  incident  of  trans- 
ferring forty  muskets  from  the  Arsenal  to  Castle  Pinckney  and 
Fort  Sumter  created  an  intense  excitement  that  was  only  allayed 
by  their  immediate  return. 

On  the  6th  of  December,  the  election  of  delegates,  to  the 
Convention  took  place;  on  the  17th  the  Convention  assembled 
in  Columbia  and  every  Charlestonian  recalls  the  scene  on  the 
20th  when  it  was  announced  that  the  Ordinance  of  Secession 

1 1 


had  been  signed  and  South  CaroHna  had  become  a  free  and 
independent  State. 

MiHtary  organizations  prepared  for  action.  As  early  as  Oc- 
tober 20th,  Capt.  Charles  H.  Snnonton  of  the  Washington  Light 
Infantry,  having  suggested  that  they  should  be  ready  to  take 
the  field,  one  of  his  officers  promptly  submitted  a  resolution  that 
the  services  of  the  organization  should  be  offered  to  the  State 
as  an  independent  battalion  of  light  troops  of  not  less  than  200 
men.  The  services  were  accepted  and  about  the  middle  of 
November,  they  began  duty  as  a  guard  at  the  Arsenal. 

Gov.  Pickens  was  inaugurated  on  the  i6th  of  December. 
On  the  following  day,  he  despatched  Major  D.  H.  Hamilton  of 
the  1st  South  CaroHna  Volunteers  to  demand  of  the  President 
of  the  United  States  in  Washington,  the  possession  of  Fort  Sum- 
ter. Mr.  Buchanan  asked  for  time  and  for  diplomatic  reasons, 
the  letter  was  withdrawn  on  the  20th.  As  if  things  were 
moving  too  slowly,  the  Governor  then  came  in  person  to 
Charleston  and  estabhshed  a  police  of  the  harbor  under  Captain 
Simonton,  who  with  a  portion  of  his  command  was  ordered  to 
cruise  daily  and  nightly  between  the  forts  and  prevent,  by  force 
if  necessary,  the  removal  of  the  Federal  troops.  Subsequently, 
he  was  relieved  from  this  duty  by  the  Charleston  Rifles  com- 
manded by  Capt.  J.  Johnson,  Jr. 

And  now  occurred  one  of  the  most  sensational  of  the  many 
events  that  have  long  kept  the  pulse  beating  with  feverish  heat — 
the  abandonment  of  Fort  Moultrie  and  the  occupation  of  Fort 
Sumter.  It  has  transpired  that  the  plan  of  Major  Anderson  was 
to  accomplish  this  movement  on  December  25,  when  public  at- 
tention was  likely  to  be  diverted  by  the  festivities  of  Christmas, 
but  rain  fell  and  the  design  was  interrupted.  Its  eventual  success 
has  until  now  been  a  source  of  chagrin. 

The  preparations  wxre  made  in  secret  and  known  only  to 
the  principal  officers.  The  first  step  was  to  remove  the  large 
number  of  women  and  children  of  the  garrison  with  the  ne- 
cessary supplies.  For  tliis  purpose,  two  lighters  were  provided 
and  by  noon  their  passengers  and  cargo  were  embarked.  Under 
orders  they  were  to  proceed  in  the  direction  of  Fort  Johnson, 
then  an  old  barrack  on  the  western  shore;  not  to  land,  but  to 
await  the  firing  of  two  signal  guns  from  Fort  Moultrie  that 
would  announce  the  arrival  of  the  command  at  Fort  Sumter. 

The  movement  of  troops  began  shortly  after  dusk.  The  sea 
was  still  and  the  moon  shining  brightly.  The  principal  means  of 
transportation  were  the  boats  in  use  by  the  engineer  department 
and  of  these,  three  six-oared  barges  and  two  four-oared  boats 
were  in  readiness  at  the  beach  below  the  fort.  The  troops  en- 
tered quietly  and  so  disposed  of  themselves  as  to  attract  the 


12 


least  attention,  Major  Anderson  going  in  the  first  boat  and  car- 
rying the  garrison  flag.  A  small  steamer  passed  by,  but  she  was 
engaged  in  towing  a  vessel  towards  the  bar,  and  failed  to  notice 
the  important  movement  that  was  taking  place.  Three  trips 
were  made,  and  as  the  last  boat  deposited  her  load,  the  two  signal 
guns  indicated  to  the  officer  in  charge  of  the  women  and  children 
on  the  lighters  that  the  evacuation  was  complete  and  he  must 
steer  for  Fort  Sumter.  It  was  now  eight  o'clock  in  the  evening. 
Sentinels  were  stationed  at  the  gates  and  on  the  ramparts;  ah 
noise  was  forbidden  and  when  the  State  guardboat  resumed  her 
usual  patrol  shortly  afterwards,  it  was  without  a  suspicion  that 
Major  Anderson  and  his  troops  had  transferred  their  sleeping 
apartments  and  their  dreams  to  new  quarters. 

The  details  of  the  work  however,  were  not  yet  con'ipleted. 
Several  officers  and  men  having  been  left  in  Fort  Moultrie  for 
the  purpose,  they  proceeded  on  the  following  day  (27th)  to 
destroy  its  armament.  "The  guns  were  spiked,  the  gun  carriages 
set  on  fire  and  the  flag  stafif  cut  down.  Major  Anderson  had 
fully  achieved  his  purpose. 

To  the  workmen  of  Fort  Sumter,  this  incoming  of  the  garri- 
son was  a  surprise.  Many  of  them  sympathised  with  our  cause. 
They  wore  our  palmetto  cockades  and  other  State  emblems,  and, 
unwilling  to  be  drawn  into  a  conflict  with  our  people,  returned 
to  Charleston.  In  the  city,  when  the  news  became  known,  the 
wildest  excitement  prevailed.  The  smoke  of  the  burning  gun 
carriages  being  visible,  the  rumor  spread  that  Fort  Aloultrie  was 
in  flames  and  every  boat  carried  a  great  throng  of  people  who 
lingered  around  the  abandoned  work  all  day.  Gov.  Pickens  at 
once  despatched  Col.  J.  J.  Pettigrew  and  Major  Ellison  Capers 
of  the  First  S.  C.  Rifles  to  ]\lajor  Anderson  to  make  official  in- 
quiry concerning  his  action  and  to  peremptorily  demand  his 
return  to  Fort  Moultrie.  The  interview  was  formal  and  the 
language  curt.  ''Make  my  compliments  to  the  Governor,"  said 
Major  Anderson,  "and  say  to  him  that  I  decline  to  accede  to  his 
request;  I  cannot  and  will  not  go  back."  ''Then  sir,"  replied 
Col.  Pettigrew  with  a  cold  bow,  "my  business  is  done."  And 
that  settled  it.  But  for  how  long?  It  is  what  these  impatient 
men  around  me  are  anxious  to  find  out. 

The  Governor  lost  no  time.  By  his  order,  Col.  Pettigrew 
with  the  Washington  Light  Infantry,  Carolina  Light  Infantry 
and  the  Aleagher  Guards  proceeded  to  take  possession  of  Castle 
Pinckney.  The  gate  being  closed  and  barred,  a  party  of  sol- 
diers scaled  the  walls,  mounting  ladders  they  had  brought  for 
the  purpose.  As  Col.  Pettigrew  who  led  the  ascent,  stepped 
upon  the  parapet,  he  was  met  by  Lieut.  R.  K.  Meade  of  the  gar- 
rison, to  whom  lie  stated  that  he  had  been  commanded  to  take 


cliarge  of  the  work  in  the  name  of  the  State.  Lieut.  Meade  re- 
plied that  he  did  not  acknowledge  the  authority  of  the  govern- 
ment to  take  possession  of  the  work.  He  likew^ise  declined  to 
accept  the  receipts  for  the  property  that  were  tendered  and  re- 
fused to  give  his  parole,  as  he  did  not  consider  himself  a  prisoner 
of  war.   Thereupon,  he  left  Castle  Pinckney  for  Fort  Sumter. 

Lieut  Col.  Wilmot  G.  DeSaussure  now  assembled  200  men 
of  the  First  Artillery,  S.  C.  M.,  went  to  Sullivan's  Island  and 
took  possession  of  Fort  Moultrie  with  its  armament  of  56  tempo- 
rarily disabled  pieces  of  ordnance  and  a  large  supply  of  ammuni- 
tion. The  final  seizure  of  United  States  property  occurred  on 
the  30th,  when  the  custodian  of  the  Arsenal  surrendered  to  Col 
John  Cuningham  of  the  Seventeenth  S.  C.  M.  and  a  detachment 
of  his  command.  The  State  thus  acquired  mihtary  stores  valued 
at  $400,000.  ,On  the  same  day,  Fort  Johnson  was  occupied  by 
State  troops  under  command  of  Capt.  J.  Johnson,  Jr.,  and  thus 
a  large  supply  of  fuel  was  secured. 

A  crisis  seemed  to  be  so  rapidly  approaching  that  Major 
Anderson  at  this  juncture,  sent  Lieut.  Snyder  from  the  Fort  to 
make  formal  inquiry  whether  notice  would  be  given  of  any  con- 
templated attack  in  time  to  remove  the  women,  children  and 
other  non-combatants  to  a  place  of  safety  :  also  whether  the  per- 
sonal ef¥ects  of  the  officers,  yet  remaining  at  Castle  Pinckney  and 
Fort  Moultrie  would  be  returned.  One  can  imagine  the  expres- 
sion of  the  high  bred,  hospitable  Pickens  as  he  assured  his  visitor 
with  courtly  politeness  that  "women  and  children  were  always 
protected  in  South  Carolina;"'  that  the  kindest  regard  would  be 
paid  to  the  ladies  of  the  officers'  families,  and  that  the  private 
property  of  tlie  officers  might,  if  so  desired,  be  removed  to  the 
city  where  it  would  be  duly  cared  for  and  respected.  He  added 
liowever,  that  for  the  present,  no  other  communication  would  be 
alknved  between  Fort  Sumter  and  the  city  except  to  receive 
.and  carry  the  mails,  his  ol^ject  being  to  prevent  possible  collision 
and  perhaps  bloodshed. 

Governor  Pickens  now  acted  with  great  energy.  Col. 
AA'alter  (iwynn,  his  chief  engineer,  and  Col.  Gabriel  Manigault 
were  ordered  to  choose  a  suital)le  location  on  Morris  Island 
and  erect  a  1)atter}  to  bear  upon  the  main  channel.  Major  P.  F. 
Stevens  connnanding  the  Citadel  Academy  with  a  detachment  of 
fortv  cadets  and  two  twenty-four  poUnders,  subsequently  occu- 
pied it  and  since  firing  on  the  "Star  of  the  West,"  it  has  borne 
that  name.  Anotlier  1)attery  was  erected  on  Sullivan's  Island  to 
guard  the  ha.vhov  and  prevent  reinforcements,  and  Col.  R.  S. 
Ripley  formerl}'  of  the  old  ami}'  was  appointed  to  the  command 
of  Fort  Moultrie,  Col.  DeSaussure  being  relieved  in  order  that 
he  might  attend  to  his  civil  duties  in  the  Legislature. 


Events  are  now  crystallising  rapidly,  ]\Ien  and  material  are 
moved  hither  and  thither  without  any  attempt  at  concealment. 
Troops  are  organising  throughout  the  State  in  preparation  for 
emergencies  that  may  arise,  and  officers  trained  in  the  art  of 
war  at  West  Point  and  elsewhere,  are  giving  to  the  State  their 
best  services.  While  I  write,  according  to  the  report  of  Hon. 
D.  F.  Jamison,  Secretary  of  War  for  South  Carolina,  1394  men, 
mfantry,  artillery  and  a  detachment  of  dragoons  under  the  com- 
mand of  Brig.  Gen.  Dunnovant  are  encamped  on  Sullivan's 
Island;  here,  on  ^lorris  Island  are  1356  men  of  all  arms  under 
the  command  of  Col.  Maxcy  Gregg;  at  Fort  Johnson  there  are 
100  enlisted  men  imder  Captain  George  S.  James,  and  31  soldiers 
are  at  Castle  Pinckney  .under  command  of  Lieut.  Blanding, 
making  a  sum  total  of  3027  troops  in  fighting  trim  subject  to 
the  order  of  Gen.  Beauregard. 

The  harbor  approaches  bristle  with  guns.  Sounds  of  drum 
and  bugle  echo  from  camp  and  battery  throughout  the  day  and 
strains  of  martial  music  from  the  bands  mingle  in  the  stillness 
of  the  night  with  the  soughing  of  the  waves  as  the\'  break  upon 
the  beach. 

And  so  ends  a  panoramic  view  of  the  leading  incidents  that 
have  made  the  past  six  months  memorable.  How  will  they  end? 
These  earnest  men  of  South  Carolina  are  not  here  for  amuse- 
ment. They  and  the  people  behind  them  stand  waiting  "with 
vizor  down  and  lance  in  rest,"  answer  to  the  question — Shall 
there  be  peace  or  war? 

Pkrsoxxe. 


AX  OFFICIAL  visrr. 

Charleston,  April  i,  1861. 
E]\IBERS  of  the  State  Convention  }'esterday  made  a  tour 
^  I  I  among  the  camps  and  batteries  on  ^lorris  and  Sullivan's 
Islands  and  witnessed  some  of  the  handiwork  that  has  fol- 
lowed the  signing  of  the  Ordinance  of  Secession. 

They  were  the  special  guests  of  Gen.  Beauregard,  but  there 
were  also  present  many  of  the  distinguished  men  of  the  city  and 
State,  while  numerous  ladies  made  the  occasion  doubly  inter- 
esting-. The  party  was  sufficiently  large  to  require  the  use  of 
two  steamboats,  the  Carolina  and  Gen.  Clinch  and  when  em- 
barked, it  was  easy  to  observe  that  the  assemblage  was  of  an 
unusually  representative  character. 

It  is  a  common  saying  that  every  one  in  South  Carolina  . 


15 


knows  every  one  in  the  state  who  is  worth  knowing,  but  to  the 
majority  of  those  present,  the  host  of  the  day,  Beauregard,  was  a 
stranger.  Not  so,  very  long  however.  Attired  in  the  simple  un- 
dress uniform  of  his  office,  the  graceful  courtesy  of  the  Creole 
gentleman  and  soldier  was  not  slow  in  breaking  through  the 
crust  of  whatever  reserve  might  have  existed  and  the  excursion 
sped  on  its  way  merrily  to  the  inspiring  music  of  the  Palmetto 
Brass  band. 

Ex-Gov,  Gist,  Surgeon  General  R.  W.  Gibbes.  Gen. 
Schnierle  and  staff  of  the  State  militia,  Gen.  William  E.  Martin, 
Colonels  Lucas,  Chisholm  and  Carroll  of  Gov.  Pickens'  staff  and 
scores  of  other  gentlemen  well  known  to  our  people  also  aided 
in  lending  the  charm  of  true  sociability  to  the  occasion;  and,  as 
it  began  auspiciously,  so  throughout,  it  was  most  heartily  en- 
joyed. 

Owing  to  an  adverse  current  no  attempt  was  made  to  land 
at  Fort  Johnson,  and  the  visitors  contented  themselves  with 
looking  at  a  respectful  distance  upon  the  big  ten-inch  mortars 
planted  in  the  batteries  there.  Crossing  to  the  opposite  side  of 
the  harbor,  the  party  landed  on  SuUivan's  Island  and  were  re- 
ceived by  Col.  Pettigrew  and  staff  and  an  escort  of  officers  from 
the  Rifle  Regiment.  The  various  batteries  were  inspected,  the 
working  of  the  heavy  guns  shown  and  the  efficiency  of  the  men 
demonstrated. 

The  arrival  at  Fort  Moultrie  was  announced  by  a  salute 
of  thirteen  guns.  Then,  Col.  Ripley  and  his  officers  conducted 
the  visitors  over  the  v/ork.  It  w^as  remarked  by  those  who  are 
familiar  with  the  place  that  since  its  abandonment  by  Major  An- 
derson, the  fort  has  undergone  many  important  changes  and  ap- 
parently has  been  brought  to  a  state  of  military  perfection  that 
now  only  awaits  the  final  test.  Praise  for  this  result  is  due  to 
Major  Walter  Gwynn,  the  chief  engineer  of  Governor  Pickens' 
staff,  and  to  his  assistant  engineers,  Captain  James  F.  Hart, 
George  W.  Earle  and  John  Mitchell,  Jr. 

The  party  now  proceeded  to  Morris  Island  where  they  were 
met  by  Lieut.  Gov.  Harlee,  Col.  Maxcy  Gregg  with  his  staff, 
of  the  First  Regiment  of  Volunteers,  Major  P.  F.  Stevens  of  the 
Citadel,  Col.  W.  D.  DeSaussure,  Capt.  W.  A.  Warley.  and  by 
Capt.  Cuthbert  and  Lieut.  G.  Lamb  Buist  of  the  Palmetto 
Guards,  which  company  by  the  way,  has  been  assigned  to  the 
duties  of  the  Iron  Battery  and  to  two  heavy  batteries  immedi- 
ately in  the  rear.  The  Washington  Artillery,  Capt.  Walter;  the 
Marion  Artillery,  Capt.  J.  C.  King;  German  Artillery,  Capt. 
Nohrden;  Columbia  Artillery,  Capt.  A.  J.  Green,  and  the  com- 
mand of  Capt.  Warley  are  in  charge  of  the  other  batteries  ranged 
along  the  island  and  bearing  on  the  channel.    I  mention  these 

i6 


names  and  others  because  they  are  Ukely  to  have  a  place  in  the 
picture  when  the  curtain  is  unrolled. 

For  the  entertainment  of  the  visitors,  Gen.  Beauregard  or- 
dered artillery  practice  by  the  several  batteries,  the  target  being 
a  buoy  in  the  ship  channel  about  1600  yards  distant.  After  the 
firing,  the  General,  President  Jamison  of  the  Convention  and  the 
delegates  and  guests  proceeded  to  the  beach  where  Col.  Gregg's 
regiment  was  drawn  up  in  line  and  all  present  had  an  opportu- 
nity of  seeing  as  fine  a  looking  body  of  men  representing  the 
flower  of  the  State  as  ever  shouldered  arms.  Gen.  Jamison 
availed  himself  of  the  occasion  to  address  the  officers  who 
were  assembled  for  the  purpose  in  front  of  the  regiment  and  to 
thank  them  and  the  men  for  their  prompt  response  to  the  call 
of  dut\-  and  for  the  important  servnces  they  have  already  ren- 
dered. 

On  leaving  Morris  Island  for  the  city,  the  boats  steamed 
within  a  hundred  yards  of  Fort  Sumter.  White  flags  were  waved 
from  the  decks,  the  band  played  "Dixie"  and  the  officers  and 
men  of  the  garrison  appeared  on  the  ramparts;  but  whatever 
they  felt,  they  certainly  made  no  visible  sign  of  any  hospitality 
that  might  have  been  latent  behind  the  walls  of  the  grim  old  pile. 

Aside  from  drill  and  other  duties,  the  boys  encamped  on 
the  islands  enjoy  themselves  as  much  as  if  they  were  on  a  pic  nic. 
Many  of  the  tents  are  supplied  w^ith  every  obtainable  luxury  that 
can  tempt  the  palate.  Plantations  yield  daily  stores  of  provis- 
ions, time  honored  cellars  contribute  the  choicest  liquors,  and 
mothers,  wives  and  sweethearts  send  loads  of  home-made  delica- 
cies to  tickle  the  soldier-palate.  Enough  slippers  and  smoking 
caps  are  lying  around  to  furnish  all  the  dominies  in  South  Caro- 
lina. Evidently,  these  sandhills  are  esteemed  dry  places  that 
require  frequent  irrigation  and  the  consequence  is  that  from 
reveille  until  "taps,"  the  boys  run  a  gamut  of  juleps  and  punches 
to  the  full  Hmit  of  capacity. 

If  you  want  to  cross  a  line  where  a  jolly  sentinel  stands  on 
guard,  you  must  always  have  a  fluid  countersign.  "Halt!  Who 
goes  there?  "  "Friend  with  a  bottle,"  is  the  usual  response. 
"Advance  bottle  and  uncork!"  Then  follows  a  symphony  of 
gurgles  and  you  are  permitted  to  cross  the  Rubicon.  Every  tent 
is  an  "open  house  "  to  the  inmates  of  every  other  and  the  spirit 
of  convivialitv  stands  at  100  in  the  social  thermometer.  On  the 
mess  table,  you  will  find  never  failing  bottled  hospitality;  under 
it,  is  a  demijohn  of  old  rye  or  cognac :  within  arm's  length  may  be 
a  mess  chest  full  of  mollifying  stores  of  English  cheese,  crackers, 
pates  de  fois  gras,  potted  meats  and  other  things  good  to  the 
taste,  and  I  have  seen  many  a  miniature  vault  below  the  floor 
of  a  tent,  which,  when  tapped  disclosed  a  mine  of  madeira,  shern' 


17 


and  champagne.  The  hardship  is  insignificant,  the  discipHne  not 
severe  and  the  fraternization  between  the  officers  and  men  makes 
their  camp  Hfe  one  long  holiday. 

Personnp:. 


PR  A  C  TIC  A  L  PA  TRIO  TISM. 

Charleston,  April  8,  1861. 

a STRANGER  visiting  South  Carolina  at  this  time  would  be 
impressed  by  the  unanimity  of  purpose  and  the  patriotic 
disinterestedness  of  both  individuals  and  institutions..  Im- 
mediately after  the  act  of  Secession,  the  Legislature  provided  for 
the  exigencies  of  the  State  by  authorizing  a  loan  of  $400,000 
bearing  an  interest  of  6  per  cent.  The  banks  promptly  took  up 
this  loan  at  par  and  thus  afforded  an  immediate  supply  of  ready 
funds.  At  that  time,  South  Carolina  stood  alone;  yet  proposals 
for  a  six  per  cent  loan  by  the  government  of  the  United  States, 
were  met  by  offers  ranging  from  ten  to  thirty-five  per  cent  dis- 
count and  the  urgent  demands  of  their  Treasury  could  only  be 
supplied  by  Treasury  notes  at  12  per  cent  interest.  The  contrast 
is  significant. 

On  the  28th  February,  the  Provisional  Congress  authorized 
a  loan  of  $15,000,000  for  the  support  of  the  government  and  to 
provide  for  the  public  defence.  On  the  17th  of  the  last 
month  Mr.  Memminger,  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury,  offered 
five  millions  of  this  loan  to  the  public  for  investment.  The  se- 
curity is  a  duty  of  one-eighth  of  a  cent  per  pound  or  about  62 
cents  a  bale  on  all  cotton  exported  and  the  eagerness  of  the 
people  to  secure  a  bite  of  this  cherry,  has  been  such  that  more 
than  eight  millions  of  dollars  are  already  subscribed  and  not  a 
bid  under  par.  Several  gentlemen  offered,  provided  fifty  others 
would  join  them,  to  take  the  entire  issue. 

Notwithstanding  the  fact  that  the  Provisional  Government 
has  assumed  all  expenses  for  the  defence  of  Confederate  territory 
and  will  take  from  the  State  all  the  ordnance,  arms  and  muni- 
tions of  war  which  it  may  see  fit  to  transfer,  the  Bank  of  the 
State  has  given  assurance  that  it  will,  by  advances  prevent  any 
and  all  temporary  embarrassment  of  the  State  treasury.  Thus, 
money  goes  hand  in  hand  with  patriotic  duty. 

Many  donations  have  been  made  to  the  State  treasury;  the 
donors  in  several  instances  refusing  to  reveal  their  names.  The 
first  and  most  notable  of  these  gifts  was  the  donation  of  ten 
thousand  dollars  in  gold  by  iNIr.  Benjamin  jMordecai,  of  this  city. 

t8 


Hundreds  of  planters  have  contributed  the  labors  of  their  slaves 
and  personally  superintended  them  in  the  erection  of  fortifica- 
tions; a  number  have  given,  valuable  slaves  to  companies  organ- 
ized for  service  "in  order  that  the  boys  might  have  somebody 
to  wait  on  them."  Mr.  Charles  K.  Prioleau  recently  presented  to 
Charleston  a  rifled  Blakely  gun  as  "a  gift  from  a  Carolinian  now 
resident  in  Liverpool."  Another  consignment  just  arrived  in 
New  Orleans  from  Mr.  James  Smith  of  Glasgow,  Scotland,  con- 
sists of  a  six-pounder  gun,  twenty-five  Quitman  rifles  with 
sword  bayonets,  and  a  large  amount  of  round  shot  and  cannis- 
ter  and,  not  to  do  the  thing  by.  halves,  the  patriotic  Scotchman 
has  paid  the  freight  across  the  ocean.  These  are  but  a  few  of  the 
public  and  private  examples  expressive  of  the  feeling  of  the 
people. 

The  first  Treasury  notes  authorized  by  the  Confederate 
Government  have  just  made  their  appearance  and  under  the 
circumstances  are  both  creditable  and  promising.  The  amount 
issued  is  only  $1,000,000,  but  as  they  bear  interest  at  a  fraction 
of  three  and  five-eighths  per  cent  or  one  cent  a  day  on  every 
hundred  dollars  and  are  receivable  in  payment  of  all  dues  to  the 
government,  the  supply  is  not  likely  to  equal  the  demand.  The 
face  of  the  notes  bears  the  following  inscription: 

A.  S500. 
Twelve  months  after  date 
THE  CONFEDERATE  STATES  OF  AMERICA 
Will  pay  the  bearer 
FR'E  HUNDRED  DOLLARS 
With  interest  at  five  cents  per  day. 
Montgomery,  April  4.  t86i.  S500. 


Receivable  in  payment  of  all  dues  except  export  duties. 

Volunteering  is  everywhere  active.  More  men  are  anxious 
to  take  the  field  than  are  actually  needed.  The  very  boys  are 
said  to  hunger  for  soldier  clothes.  In  several  districts,  military 
organisations  are  so  large  that  the  officers  have  had  to  draft  men 
to  stay  at  home.  In  one  company  are  sixty  stalwart  riflemen 
any  of  whom  can  hit  a  squirrel's  eye  at  a  hundred  yards.  Nearly 
one-half  are  married  men;  not  more  than  ten  or  a  dozen  have 
any  interest  in  negro  property  and  the  three  lieutenants  and  the 
orderly  sergeant  are  all  grandfathers.  The  Evening  News  of 
this  city,  edited  by  Col.  John  Cuningham,  has  been  forced  into 
temporary  suspension.  The  editor  announces  that  the  largest 
number  of  his  compositors  are  now  on  duty  at  the  front;  the 
clerks  and  pressmen  have  been  summoned  to  join  their  res- 


Alex.  B.  Clitherall. 

Register. 


E.  C.  Elmore, 

Treasurer. 


19 


pective  commands  on  the  islands,  and  it  is  impossible  to  issue  a 
daily  paper. 

Companies,  battalions  and  regiments  are  arriving  by  every 
train,  all  fiery  with  the  war  fever.  In  response  to  the  call  for 
more  men,  they  seem  to  have  left  their  homes  hurriedly — some 
of  them  without  due  preparation — just  as  the  Lexington  farmer 
we  read  about  in  the  Revolution,  left  his  plow  standing  in  the 
field ;  but  the  light  in  their  brave  eyes  is  not  to  be  misunderstood. 
They  are  here  for  business.  Not  much  discipline  is  in  evidence; 
the  organization  is  imperfect  and  the  boys  march  as  independ- 
ently as  if  they  were  driving  cows,  but  they  are  sturdy  and  pur- 
poseful and  in  a  month  from  now  will  be  soldiers,  perhaps  vet- 
erans of  a  battle. 

A  regiment  that  went  by  this  morning,  will  bear  description, 
for  in  respect  to  dress,  human  eyes  probably  never  rested  on  a 
more  unique  or  motley  throng.  It  was  a  tangled  compound  of 
frock  coats,  working  clothes  and  Sunday  suits,  with  a  liberal 
sprinkling  of  shirt  sleeves.  There  were  trousers  of  every  hue 
and  shape  from  gay  cassimere  to  the  patched  emblems  of  better 
days,  the  nether  extremities  lost  in  the  tops  of  boots  or  snugly 
gathered  within  the  stockings.  The  head-gear  consisted  of 
slouched  hats,  caps,  stovepipes  and  last  year's  old  straw  hats 
that  on  parade  presented  an  outline  indescribably  ragged.  A 
blanket  or  patched  bedquilt,  a  home-made  knapsack  and  a  can- 
vas bag  in  which  the  rations  were  carried,  completed  the  outfit. 
It  looked  comfortable,  but  it  was  certainly  extemporised  and  a 
trifle  irregular.  A  belt  held  the  inevitable  revolver,  and  a  rifle, 
musket  or  double  barrelled  shot  gun  was  carried  carelessly  over 
the  shoulder.  A  few  of  the  men  with  esthetic  tastes  added  a 
violin  or  accord  "on  to  their  armory  and  some  were  practical 
enough  to  bring  their  private  cooking  utensils  which  dangled 
behind  in  picturesque  fashion  as  they  marched.  One  sweet- 
toothed  volunteer  liad  a  jug  of  molasses  with  him,  but  the  writer 
does  not  voucli  f^r  the  statement  that  another  started  from  home 
with  a  cow  wl  irii  he  proposed  to  milk  for  the  benefit  of  the 
r-e-e-gement. 

These  inc'f''-^"ts  however,  are  not  to  be  laughed  at.  They 
illustrate  the  rM*.-  '-'tv  of  the  figliting  stock  on  which  we  may  de- 
pend. They  '  that  the  people  have  seized  the  reins  and  are 
in  terrible  earr^-  t. 

Personne. 


20 


E  VEXTS  CR  YS  TA  LIZIXG. 


Charleston,  April  lo,  1861. 

a CRISIS  is  so  rapidly  approaching  that  it  is  not  amiss  to 
recite  some  of  the  incidents  that  may  prudently  now  be 
made  public  and  will  probably  throw  fresh  light  upon 
the  present  condition  of  altairs. 

Our  first  commisssioners  sent  to  \\^ashinton  to  confer  with 
the  Federal  authorities  in  reference  to  the  evacuation  of  the  forts 
and  other  matters  growing  out  of  the  act  of  Secession,  were 
R.  \V.  Barnwell,  James  Adams  and  James  L.  Orr,  but  while  they 
were  in  communication  with  the  President,  Anderson  made  his 
sudden  and  unexpected  move  from  Fort  ^loultrie.  This  news 
at  once  changed  the  relations  of  the  parties  and  the  character  of 
the  question  that  then  bid  lair  to  approach  a  definite  solution. 
Notwithstanding  the  fact  that  the  removal  took  place  without 
the  orders  and  contrary  to  the  expressed  policy  of  Mr.  Buch- 
anan, he  resisted  all  importunities  to  restore  the  status  and  the 
Commissioners  could  do  nothing  but  turn  their  backs  on  Wash- 
ington and  a  hopeless  task.  . 

On  the  following  day,  Dec.  30,  Hon.  John  B.  Floyd,  Secre- 
tary of  War,  resigned  from  ]\Ir.  Buchanan's  cabinet  because  as 
he  wrote,  'T  can  no  long-er  hold  the  ofiice  under  my  convictions 
of  patriotism,  nor  with  honor,  subjected  as  I  am  to  a  violation  of 
solemn  pledges  and  a  plighted  faith." 

Senator  Louis  T.  A\'igfall  of  Texas  at  once  telegraphed  to 
Hon.  yi.  L.  Bonham,  "Holt  succeeds  Floyd;  it  means  war!  Cut 
ofT  suppHes  from  Anderson  and  take  Sumter  as  soon  as  possi- 
ble." The  next  morning,  still  another  startling  message  was  re- 
ceived here:   "Sink  vessels  in  the  channels  of  your  harbor!" 

The  resignation  of  Hon.  Jacob  Thomson,  Secretary  of  the 
Interior,  followed  on  the  8th  of  January.  Even  then,  orders  for 
reinforcement  had  been  issued,  for  that  very  night,  January  9, 
the  Star  of  the  A\'est  arrived  of?  Charleston  bar  with  250  troops 
on  board  and  at  dawn,  attempted  to  steam  up  to  Fort  Sumter. 
Our  httle  two  gun  battery  m.anned  by  Citadel  Cadets,  first,  sent 
a  warning  shot  across  her  bows  without  eftect,  then  opened  fire 
in  earnest,  one  shot  striking  near  the  rudder  and  another  about 
two  feet  above  the  water  line.  WHien  within  range  of  a  mile  and 
a  half.  Fort  ^^loukrie  also  opened  fire,  whereupon  the  steamer 
went  about  and  headed  for  the  Xorth. 

Major  Arderson  sent  word  tl^at  he  would  consider  this  an 
act  of  war  nrless  disavowed  prd  wonlrl  rot  permit  any  vessel 
to  pass  witl^hi  range  of  h''s  nn^s.  Gov.  P^'ckens  retorted  that 
the  Preside^M  well  iinrVr^toorl  t^?t  iFe  sendino-  of  anv  reinforce- 
ments would  l)e  regarded  as  ?n  ?rt  of  hostility;  that  the  occu- 

2  I 


pancy  of  Fort  Sumter  was  in  itself  an  act  of  positive  hostility  and 
under  the  circumstances,  the  act  of  that  morning  was  perfectly 
justified  by  him.  Anderson  replied  that  he  would  refer  the 
whole  matter  to  Washington. 

In  view  of  the  seriousness  of  the  situation,  the  Governor 
now  called  together  his  board  of  ordnance  and  engineers,  to  re- 
port a  plan  for  operating  against  Fort  Sumter,  for  defending  the 
harbor  and  preventing  reinforcements.  They  did  so  and  the 
construction  of  batteries  was  promptly  begun. 

On  the  1st  of  February,  the  women  and  children  of  the  fort, 
42  in  number,  w^ere,  by  consent  of  the  authorities,  embarked  on 
a  lighter,  transferred  to  one  of  the  New  York  steamers  and  sailed 
for  that  city.  The  fort  fired  a  good-by  gun  and  the  men  lined 
the  parapet  and  cheered  the  wives  and  little  ones  as  they  passed. 
That  a  kind  feeling  towards  Major  Anderson  and  his  officers 
personally,  existed  at  this  time,  is  illustrated  by  the  ofTer  of  Gen. 
Jamison  as  Secretary  of  War,  to  furnish  the  garrison  with  a  daily 
supply  of  fresh  meats  and  vegetables.  To  this  generous  tender 
however,  Anderson  replied  that  if  he  were  allow^ed  to  procure 
his  supplies  by  contract  as  he  had  previously  done,  he  would 
be  glad  to  do  so,  but  if  it  was  only  a  matter  of  civility,  he  must 
decline. 

Early  in  March,  the  Confederate  government  assumed  gen- 
eral control,  and  acts  w^ere  passed  to  provide  for  the  public  de- 
fence in  every  portion  of  the  seceded  States.  Pursuant  to  its 
orders  Beauregard  arrived  and  on  the  6th  took  command  of  all 
the  troops,  regulars,  volunteers  and  militia,  at  once  inaugurating 
movements  and  changes  that  infused  fresh  life  into  every  depart- 
ment. 

Three  Commissioners  representing  the  Confederacy, 
Messrs.  Martin  J.  Crawford,  A.  B.  Roman  and  John  Forsyth, 
have  been  in  Washington  since  the  middle  of  February  with  a 
view  to  the  recognition  of  the  independence  of  the  seceded 
Southern  States  and  to  conclude  treaties  of  amity  and  good  will 
between  "the  two  nations,"  but  so  far  with  no  result.  Only 
those  in  authority  know  what  has  really  been  done,  yet  that 
serious  if  not  definite  information  has  been  received,  is  apparent. 
We,  who  daily  witness  the  movement  of  great  guns,  the  arrival 
of  troops  and  other  significant  military  prepartions  more  than 
surmise  that  they  mean  War. 

We  do  know  that  of  late,  the  faces  of  the  officials,  botli  civic 
and  military,  wear  a  look  of  anxiety.  There  are  strange  hurry- 
ings  to  and  fro  between  headquarters  and  the  telegraph  office 
and  mysterious  messengers  from  Washington  have  brought  im- 
portant tidings.  News  that  was  wont  to  become  public  property 
in  a  few  hours  is  now  withheld  or  entirely  suppressed ;  the  Exec- 


22 


utive  council  is  in  frequent  session  and  men  who  hold  conhden- 
tial  positions  are  grave  as  if  with  the  knowledge  that  something 
is  about  to  happen. 

Beauregard,  usualh'  affable,  has  become  reserved  and 
thoughtful.  To  the  physiognomist,  there  is  much  in  the  alert 
look,  firm  lip  and  massive  chin  of  the  Creole  General  that  tells 
of  hidden  power;  much  in  the  full  brow  and  shapely  head  that 
indicates  resources  not  yet  called  upon;  but  now,  even  a  stolid 
exterior  does  not  conceal  the  fire  of  some  mighty  purpose  that 
flashes  from  his  eyes. 

A  few  days  ago  a  telegram  \\as  received  from  Hon.  A.  G. 
Alagrath  to  the  folloAving-  eff'ect:  "Positively  determined  not  to 
withdraw  Anderson.  Supplies  go  immediately,  supported  by  a 
naval  force  under  Stringham,  if  their  landing  be  resisted.''  The 
movements  of  ships  and  troops  are  daily  published  by  the  Xorth- 
ern  newspapers,  and  we  know  already  that  the  Powhatan, 
Pawnee,  ^Minnesota  and  other  vessels  have  been  put  in  commis- 
sion or  are  about  to  sail  with  reinforcements.  How  well  our 
government  at  ^Montgomery  is  kept  informed  of  the  events  oc- 
curring- in  Washington  and  Xcav  York  is  described  by  a  corres- 
pondent of  the  Philadelphia  Inquirer  in  a  letter  before  me,  only 
two  days  old.  He  says:  "The  ^Montgomery  government  keep 
a  corps  of  active,  industrious,  h-nx-eyed  agents  in  this  city  to 
telegraph  CAxr}-  moA'cment  of  the  Federal  government  with  refer- 
ence to  the  movements  of  troops  and  war  vessels.  A  dispatch  of 
one  thousand  words  containing  the  substance  of  all  the  evening- 
papers  published  yesterday  was  forwarded  to  [Montgomery  and 
the  receipt  thereof  acknowledged  before  six  P.  ]M.'' 

A  letter  received  from  [Montgomery  states  that  a  similar 
condition  of  anxious  unrest  prevails  there.  The  Cabinet  are  in 
daily  session  sometimes  until  after  midnig-ht.  "All  the  military 
forces  of  the  Confederacy  have  been  called  upon  to  be  ready  for 
any  emergency  and  requisitions  have  been  made  on  several  of 
the  States  for  3000  additional  twelve  months  volunteers.  Xo 
train  arrives  without  bringing  several  hundred  soldiers  who  are 
immediately  transported  to  Pensacola.  Xight  after  night  the 
volunteers  are  drilled  in  the  monotonous  routine  of  tactics,  but 
no  murmur  escapes  them  except  a  longing  for  a  fight.  Most  of 
the  companies  have  been  fully  equipped  at  their  own  expense 
and  are  prepared  to  bear  the  burden  of  their  subsistence  from 
their  pri^-ate  incomes.  They  are  generally  composed  of  young 
men  of  large  means  who  are  sacrificing  every  interest  of  a  per- 
sonal character  for  the  privilege  of  serving  their  country.  One 
company  is  now  in  the  suburbs  of  the  city,  having  arrived  with- 
out orders  and  they  have  settled  themselves  in  camp  and  declare 
they  will  not  return  to  their  homes  until  the  war  department 


^3 


gives  them  a  chance  at  the  enemy."  The  letter  concludes: 
"Amid  all  this  excitement,  it  is  a  cheerful  commentary  on  the 
times  that  the  Montgomery  Blues,  a  corps  identified  with  the 
Florida  and  Mexican  wars,  are  announced  to  contend  in  a  rifle 
match  for  a  silver  goblet  from  the  hands  of  Maggie  Mitchell, 
the  'Pet  of  the  Petticoats.'  " 

That  the  situation  will  be  unmasked  within  twenty-four 
hours  is  no  longer  problematical.  It  is  even  now  an  open  secret 
that  on  the  8th  inst.  the  official  mail  of  Major  Anderson  was 
seized  by  order  of  the  Governor,  in  which  were  letters  of  the 
highest  importance  in  reference  to  the  proposed  scheme  for  sup- 
plying and  reinforcing  Fort  Sumter. 

On  tlie  same  date,  Lieut.  Talbot  arrived  from  Washington 
in  company  with  Mr.  R.  W.  Chew  of  the  State  Department  bear- 
ing a  written  miessage  from  tlie  President  of  the  United  States 
to  Gov.  Pickens  that  "an  attempt  would  be  made  to  supply 
Fort  Sumter  with  provisions  only,  and  that  if  such  attempt  be  not 
resisted,  no  effort  to  throw  in  men,  arms  or  ammunition  will  be 
made  without  further  notice,  or  in  case  of  an  attack  upon  the 
fort." 

In  reply  to  the  message,  both  gentlemen  were  invited  to 
return  at  once  to  Washington  and  the  excitement  and  disappro- 
bation of  the  people  at  the  hotel  and  elsewhere,  among  whom 
the  object  of  the  mission  had  been  bruited,  made  their  immedi- 
ate departure  desirable.  They  were  accordingly  escorted  by  an 
aide  of  the  Governor  and  one  of  Gen.  Beauregard,  to  the  station 
near  midnight.  For  obvious  reasons  they  met  with  detentions 
along  the  route  and  so  far  as  we  know,  they  have  not  reached 
Washington  yet. 

There  is  abundant  reason  now  for  activity  of  the  liveliest 
kind,  and  it  is  everywhere  manifested. 

Personne. 


PREPARATIONS  FOR  BATTLE. 

Charleston,  April  ii,  1861. 
^^T^  ODAY  is  one  that  will  not  soon  pass  from  the  memory  of 
\J  the  inhabitants  of  Charleston.  Sonietliing  in  the  very  air 
told  them  of  strange  impending  events.  Often  as  public 
feeling  has  been  aroused,  never  has  the  tifle  risen  so  high.  Busi- 
ness is  practically  suspended  and  men  are  congregated  in  the 
newspaper  offices  or  around  the  bulletin  boards  eager  for  every 
item  of  news  permitted  to  find  its  way  over  the  wires,  or  to 


24 


escape  from  the  noAV  closely  guarded  lips  of  the  civil  and  military 
officials. 

Since  early  dawn,  the  vessels  in  port  have  been  hastily  get- 
ting- out  of  the  harbor  and  putting  to  sea.  Our  little  fleet  of 
dispatch  and  guard  boats  are  busily  plying  between  the  harbor 
and  the  bar,  looking  for  signs  of  the  naval  squadron  that  is  with- 
out doubt  on  its  way  here,  and  are  frequently-  signallmg  to  ap- 
pointed stations.  Officers  are  hastening  hither  and  thither  in 
small  boats,  carrying  their  final  instructions  to  the  different 
batteries  and  commands  on  the  islands,  and  steamers  are  con- 
veying men  and  material  to  their  respective  destinations. 

The  Floating  Battery  has  been  towed  to  a  point  on  the  end 
of  Sullivan's  Island  nearest  the  city  and  firmly  anchored  behind 
the  stone  breakwater;  a  position  in  which  its  guns  will  cover  the 
whole  of  the  left  flank  of  Fort  Sumter  and  command  the  anchor- 
age for  boats  if  any  should  attempt  to  communicate  with  the 
work  in  that  way. 

A  formal  demand  has  been  made  for  the  surrender  and  evac- 
uation of  Fort  Sumter.  Those  who  were  present  shortly  after 
the  hour  of  noon  today,  saw.  a  boat  push  off  with  a  a-  hite  flag 
flying.  In  the  stern  sat  three  gentlemen;  two.  Col.  James 
Chesnut,  recently  the  United  States  Senator  from  tliis  ^tate  and 
Capt.  Stephen  D.  Lee,  aides  of  Gen.  Beauregard,  officially  repre- 
senting the  Confederate  Government,  and  the  third.  Col.  A.  R. 
Chisholm,  an  aide  of  Gov.  Pickens,  officially  representing  the 
State. 

The  boat  arrived  at  Fort  Sumter  about  half  p?-r  iliree;  the 
officers  were  received  by  Lieut.  Jeff  C.  Davis  wi>o  conducted 
them  to  Major  Anderson  and  the  object  of  the  visit  was  declared. 
They  bore  a  letter  from  Beauregard  demanding  tiie  evacuation 
of  the  work  and  stating  the  terms  on  which  it  might  take  place. 
These  were,  in  general,  a  tender  of  facilities  for  the  removal  of 
the  command,  together  with  all  company  property  and  private 
property ;  the  flag  to  be  saluted  by  A.nderson  on  taking  it  down. 

The  officers  of  the  garrison  were  summoned,  the  matter 
submitted  to  them  and  after  a  conference  lasting  an  hour  or 
more,  •  the  demand  was  refused.  Re-entering  their  boat,  our 
officers  returned  to  the  city.  The  result  was  reported  at  once 
to  the  Confederate  authorities  in  Montgomery,  and  late  this 
evening,  acting  under  their  instructions,  Col.  Chesnut  and  Capt. 
Lee  went  again  to  the  fort  (this  time  accompanied  by  Roger  A. 
Pryor  of  Va.)  with  a  second  message.  The  answer  has  yet  to  be 
received. 

iNfeanwhile,  the  news  of  these  events  spread  rapidly  through 
the  city  and  crowds  flocked  to  White  Point  Garden,  believing 
that  the  bombardment  was  about  to  begin.  All  arms  bearing  men 


belonging  to  the  different  military  organisations,  who  are  on 
leave  of  absence  have  been  ordered  to  report  to  their  respective 
rendezvous  and  even  the  firemen  are  under  orders  to  assemble 
for  immediate  duty.  Volunteers,  singly  and  in  squads,  continue 
to  arrive  and  citizens  of  Georgia,  North  Carolina,  and  other 
Southern  States,  have  hastened  hither  to  be  present  at  the 
expected  battle. 

Among  the  companies  from  the  country  which  reached 
Charleston  this  afternoon  were  the  "Minute  Men  of  Abbeville," 
under  the  command  of  Capt.  James  Perrin.  Such  was  the  haste 
of  preparation  to  leave  home,  that  their  uniforms  of  red  shirts 
and  black  trousers,  were  made  by  the  ladies  in  a  single  day  and 
that  day,  Sunday. 

The  students  of  the  South  Carolina  College,  keyed  up  to 
fighting  humour,  arrived  in  a  body  with  one  of  their  classmates, 
John  H.  Gary  of  Edgefield  acting  as  Captain.  The  young  fellov/s 
had  asked  permission  to  join  the  forces  in  Charleston  and  when 
It  was  refused  on  the  ground  that  their  services  were  not  then 
needed,  they  openly  rebelled  and  left  Columbia  in  spite  of  the 
President  and  Faculty.    Good  boys! 

As  evening  approached,  the  restlessness  of  the  community 
became  almost  painful.  A  call  has  been  made  for  volunteers  to 
perform  patrol  duty  during  the  night,  for  no  one  knows  what 
trouble  the  negro  element  may  occasion,  and  the  young  men 
being  in  camp,  the  fathers  and  the  grandfathers  responded  and 
with  their  private  arms,  a  thousand  strong,  are  assembled  at  the 
rendezvous  on  Citadel  Green.  It  seems,  in  fact,, as  if  every  one 
has  sought  his  place  in  the  picture.  The  rank  and  file  are  repre- 
sented by  all  pursuits  and  professions.  From  the  pulpit,  court 
and  schoolroom;  from  library  and  workshop;  from  the  country 
farm  and  teeming  town,  thousands  are  here,  waiting  to  defend, 
if  necessary,  the  honor  of  their  Alother — the  State.  A\^ithout 
imiformity  of  dress,  wearing  no  insignia  save  the  emblematic 
palmetto  tree,  crescent  or  cockade ;  marching  with  irregular  step 
that  would  cause  a  smile  but  for  the  solemn  purpose  written  in 
the  eye — graybeards  and  youth,  grandsires  and  children — such 
are  the  people  who  are  about  to  take  part  in  or  witness  the 
mortal  combat  of  the  morrow. 

Charleston  is  slumbering  lightly.  There  is  no  noise,  no 
confusion,  no  commotion.  The  machinery  of  battle  has  all  been 
prearranged  and,  save  the  slow  footsteps  of  the  mounted  guard, 
or  the  tread  of  wakeful  pedestrians,  silence  reigns  undisturbed. 
The  gas-jets  are  burning  low  in  a  thousand  chambers  and  many 
a  pillow  is  w^et  with  the  tears  of  gentlewomen  praying  in  the  still 
watches  of  the  night  for  the  safety  of  the  loved  ones  sleeping  at 
the  guns.  Personne. 


26 


FIRST  GUXS. 


Charleston,  April  12,  1861. 
^^F^  HE  BATTLE  is  on!  The  object  of  the  second  and  last 
(J  visit  to  Major  Anderson,  by  Col.  Chesnut  and  Capt.  Lee, 
was  again  to  press  upon  him  the  fact  that  the  Confederate 
authorities  did  not  needless!}^  desire  to  bombard  Fort  Sumter, 
and  that  if  it  were  true  that  he  would,  as  he  had  declared  on  the 
former  visit,  "be  starved  out  any  way  in  a  few  days,"  he  might 
indicate  the  time  at  which  he  would  evacuate  the  work,  provided 
he  would  agree  not  to  use  his  guns  against  us  unless  ours  should 
be  employed  against  Fort  Sumter. 

To  this  proposition,  after  a  discussion  with  his  officers,  last- 
ing nearly  three  hours,  Anderson  replied  that  he  would  evacuate 
the  fort  on  the  15th  inst.  and  would  not  in  the  meantime  open 
his  fire,  unless  some  hostile  act  against  the  fort  or  the  flag  of  his 
government  compelled  him  to  do  so,  and  should  he  not  receive 
prior  to  that  time,  controlling  instructions  from  his  government, 
or  additional  supplies.  Both  the  Confederate  authorities  and 
Anderson  himself,  knew  perfectly  well  that  at  that  moment  the 
Federal  fleet  was  approaching  the  bar  and  would  probably 
endeavor  to  establish  communication  with  the  fort  before  the 
time  signified. 

Without  further  parley,  and  acting  under  the  instructions  of 
their  chief,  the  Confederate  messengers  now  handed  to  Major 
Anderson,  the  following  note: 

'Tort  Sumter.  April  12.  1861. 

3:30  A.M. 

''bir:  By  authority  of  Brig.  Gen.  Beauregard,  commanding 
the  provisional  forces  of  the  Confederate  States,  we  have  the 
honor  to  notify  }'ou  that  he  will  open  the  fire  of  his  batteries  on 
Fort  Sumter  in  one  hour  from  this  time. 

have  the  honor,  &c., 

"Chesnut. 
"Lee." 

These  officers  at  once  repaired  to  Fort  Johnson  and  in 
accordance  with  previous  instructions,  orders  were  given  to  lire 
the  signal  gun  at  the  hour  specified.  Daylight  had  not  yet  come, 
but  every  officer  and  pri^-ate  in  the  entire  circle  of  batteries  was 
at  his  post.  The  bells  of  the  distant  city,  strike  one-two-three- 
four  and  a  group  of  serious  faced  men  gather  aroimd  the  guns 
that  are  to  sound  the  tocsin  of  civil  war.  AA^atch  in  hand,  they 
await  the  approach  of  the  half  hour,  and  as  the  last  second  of  the 
last  minute  is  marked  on  the  dial-plat-e,  Capt.  George  S.  James, 
the  commander  of  Fort  Johnson,  pulls  a  lanyard  :  there  is  a  flash 
of  light  and  a  ten  inch  shell  traces  its  pathAvay  towards  Fort 


Sumter  with  a  long  thin  Hne  of  fire.  Rising  high  in  air  and 
curving  in  its  course,  it  burst  almost  directly  over  the  work.  A 
second  shell  was  quickly  fired  by  Lieut.  Wade  Hampton  Gibbes. 

But  a  brief  silence  intervened,  wdien  a  gun  opened  from  the 
Iron-clad  Battery  on  Cumming's  Point,  and  to  Edmund  Ruffin 
of  Virginia,  a  venerable  man  who  had  been  elected  an  honorary 
member  of  the  Palmetto  Guards,  was  accorded  the  distinction  of 
firing  its  first  shot.  Hardly  had  the  echoes  passed  away,  when 
all  the  mortars  in  the  neighborhood  opened  and  in  a  few  minutes 
Fort  Sumter  was  the  center  of  a  circle  of  fire. 

The  position  of  the  several  fortifications  may  now  be  briefly 
described.  At  Cumming's  Point  between  1,200  and  1,300  yards 
from  the  fort  are  three  distinct  batteries;  one  known  as  the 
"Trapier"  battery,  consisting  of  three  ten  inch  mortars,  manned 
by  the  Marion  Artillery  under  the  command  of  Capt.  J.  Gadsden 
King;  another  which  may  be  designated  as  the  "Point"  battery, 
consisting  of  three  ten  inch  mortars,  two  42  pound  guns,  and 
one  12-pound  rifled  Blakely  presented  to  Charleston  by  Mr.  C. 
K.  Prioleau  of  Liverpool.  In  the  center  is  the  Iron  clad  or 
Stevens'  Battery,  mounting  three  eight  inch  Columbiads.  It  is 
so  named,  because  it  has  been  constructed  under  the  direct 
supervision  of  Clement  H.  Stevens  Esq.,  one  of  our  Charleston 
bank  ofiicials,  but  it  might  with  equal  propriety  have  been  called 
the  AA'illiam  Gilmore  Simms  Battery,  since  the  peculiar  device 
was  suggested  by  the  distinguished  author,  in  a  series  of  letters; 
first,  to  Lion.  W.  Porcher  Aiiles,  when  a  member  of  the  Con- 
vention, and  subsequently  to  the  Confederate  Congress.  These 
letters  being  referred  to  Gen.  Jamison,  as  Secretary  of  War,  that 
gentleman  instructed  Gen.  Trapier  to  undertake  the  work  and  it 
was  continued  as  above  mentioned,  by  Mr.  Stevens. 

The  efTectiveness  of  the  Iron  Battery  consists  in  a  roof  of 
railroad  iron — the  rails  beiuQ"  alternatelv  inverted — risino"  from 
the  sand  at  an  angle  of  about  forty  three  degrees,  supported  by 
heavy  wooden  beams  and  flanked  by  layers  of  sandbags.  The 
muzzles  of  its  heavy  guns  protrude  through  iron  skylights  or 
shutters  that  are  caused  to  rise  automatically  before  and  after 
each  discharge.  The  mortars  in  the  Point  and  Iron  batteries  are 
under  the  general  supervision  of  Major  P.  F.  Stevens  of  the 
Citadel  and  manned  by  the  Palmetto  Guard  under  Capt.  G.  B. 
Cuthbert. 

Opposite  and  north  of  Fort  Sumter  on  Sullivan's  Island  and 
1,800  yards  distant,  is  Fort  ^Moultrie  with  an  armament  of  thirty 
guns,  but  of  these  only  nine  bear  directly  upon  Fort  Sumter. 
They  are  specifically  designated  as  the  "Sumter  battery"  and  are 
commanded  by  Lieutenants  Alfred  Rhett  and  John  Mitchell  Jr. 
They  are  among  the  guns  spiked  by  Major  Anderson  when  he 


28 


abandoned  the  fort  and  are  the  heaviest  of  its  ordnance.  Four 
hundred  yards  nearer  the  city  is  a  Dahlgren  battery  with  one  9 
inch  gun,  a  battery  of  two  10  inch  mortars  and  an  enfilade  bat- 
tery of  two  24  and  two  32  pound  guns,  the  latter  under  the  com- 
mand of  Lieut.  Jacob  A'alentine  one  of  the  veterans  of  the 
Mexican  war.  Both  are  under  the  general  direction  of  Capt.  J. 
H.  Hallonquist.  Anchored  at  the  end  of  Sullivan's  Island  and 
still  nearer  the  city,  is  the  Floating  Battery,  a  mere  mud-flat 
fortified  with  a  front  wall  of  palmetto  logs  faced  with  iron.  Its 
two  32  and  two  42  pound  guns  are  under  the  command  of  Capt. 
Jolm  Randolph  Hamilton,  an  ex-officer  of  the  United  States 
Navy. 

The  scenes  of  this  April  morning  in  the  city  of  Charleston, 
will  never  be  accurately  portrayed.  Xor  tongue,  nor  pen,  nor 
canvas  can  tell  the  story.  Let  the  reader  imagine  a  population 
startled  from  its  slumbers  by  the  boom  of  an  angry  gun.  In  an 
instant,  lights  have  flashed  from  every  house,  and  in  the  twink- 
ling of  an  eye  as  it  were,  an  agitated  throng  are  rushing  towards 
the  water  front  of  the  city  to  catch  their  first  view  of  battle. 

Grave  citizens  whose  dignity  under  ordinary  circumstances 
is  unimpeachable,  are  at  the  top  of  their  speed,  dressing  as  they 
run  and  throwing  out  explosive  "hoorays"  as  if  they  must  have 
a  safety  valve  for  their  enthusiasm  or  be  suffocated.  There  are 
men  .^^7;;^-  coat  and  vest,  women  saiis  crinoline  and  children  in 
their  night  gowns.  The  "Battery*'  or  fashionable  promenade,  is 
a  mixture  of  dcshahille  without  regard  to  looks  and  the  mysteries 
of  the  feminine  toilette  are  revealed  with  a  recklessness  that 
ignores  all  the  formula  of  feminine  attire.  And  so.  with  faces 
pale,  hair  unkempt  and  eyes  sharpened  by  the  strange  fascination 
of  the  scene,  the  multitude  stand  peering  through  the  breaking 
dawn  and  reading  the  progress  of  the  fight  by  the  flashing  of  the 
guns. 

All  our  batteries  had  opened,  or  to  use  the  quaint  remark  of 
Col.  Ripley  as  he  fired  his  first  shot,  "rung'  their  breakfast  bell 
for  ]\Iajor  Anderson"  and  for  nearly  two  hours  they  pounded  at 
the  walls  of  Fort  Sumter  without  eliciting  a  response.  Scarcely, 
however,  had  objects  on  the  low  coast  become  well  defined  amid 
the  shadows  of  the  morning,  when,  as  if  wrathful  from  enforced 
delay,  from  parapet  and  casemate,  suddenly  burst  a  storm  of  iron 
hail.  The  cr}"  rang  through  the  crowd  and  Avas  caught  up  and 
carried  into  the  city.  "Fort  Stmiter  has  opened  fire!'" 

The  battle  now  raged  with  fury  and  the  fiery  messengers 
followed  each  other  with  spiteful  haste.  Short,  sharp  spurts  of 
flame  told  of  bursting  shells  in  and  around  the  beleaguered 
fortress,  while  splashes  of  spray  or  clouds  of  crumbled  brick 


^9 


marked  the  ugly  force  of  round  shot  on  its  face.  To  the  idle 
spectator  no  display  of  pyrotechnic  skill  could  have  been  more 
picturesque. 

At  dawn,  a  shower  of  rain  dispersed  much  of  the  throng 
assembled,  but  at  sunrise,  thousands  again  congregated  who, 
with  fever  undiminished  watched  the  progress  of  the  fight.  The 
elegant  mansions  in  the  neighborhood  commanding  a  view  of 
the  water  front,  were  also  filled  with  observers  while  in  the  road- 
way of  the  broad  plaza  were  hundreds  of  carriages  and  the  horse- 
men who  had  hurried  to  the  scene  from  towns  and  villages  miles 
away. 

A  single  mcident  w411  suffice  to  illustrate  the  sentiment  that 
pervaded  the  entire  community. 

Among  the  spectators  was  an  old  gentleman  nearly  seventy 
years  of  age.  Long  before  dayHght,  he  had  made  his  way  to  one 
of  the  wharves  and  secured  a  point  of  observation.  I  found  him 
still  there  in  the  afternoon  on  my  return  from  Morris  Island  and 
in  response  to  his  question  told  him  that  "so  far  no  one  there 
was  hurt."  "Thank  God  for  that,"  he  said,  and  then  added,  "Sir, 
I  have  five  sons  on  Morris  Island  and  they  are  all  that  attach  me 
to  this  life,  but  I  would  not  utter  a  murmur  while  standing-  over 
their  graves  if  they  died  fighting  for  old  South  Carolina  today.'"' 

Despatches  were  brought  by  small  boats  in  rapid  succession 
and  Gen.  Beauregard  considerately  caused  his  own  special  bulle- 
tins to  be  posted  for  the  benefit  of  the  public.  The  following  will 
give  an  idea  of  the  character  of  the  news  thus  received: 

"Sullivan's  Island,  9  A.  M.  The  Floating  Battery  has  been 
struck  eleven  times,  but  the  balls  failed  to  penetrate,  Major  An- 
derson .is  concentrating  his  fire  on  the  Floating  Battery  and  the 
Dahlgren  Battery  of  Capt.  J.  R.  Hamilton.  No  houses  on  fire. 
One  of  the  barbette  guns  in  Fort  Sumter  has  been  dismounted. 
A  steamer  supposed  to  be  the  Nashville  hove  in  sight,  but  upon 
hearing  the  firing,  put  back  to  sea." 

Camp  Bomar,  11  A.  M.  No  fleet  in  sight  yet.  Buildings 
and  parapet  at  Fort  Sumter  badly  damaged.  Fort  jMoultrie  and 
the  Floating  Battery  receiving-  Anderson's  special  attention. 

Morris  Island,  11  A.  M.  The  Iron  battery  more  than  fulfills 
Moultrie  and  the  Floating  and  Enfilade  batteries  directed  their 
expectations.  Shot  glance  from  it  like  marbles  thrown  on  the 
back  of  a  turtle.  One  gun  disabled  by  injury  to  a  trap  door,  but 
we  repaired  damages  and  resumed  firing-. 

Cumming's  Point,  2  P.  M.  Several  steam  vessels  are  off 
the  bar;  one  of  them  supposed  to  be  the  Harriet  Lane.  The  Iron 
battery  has  made  considerable  progress  in  breaching  the  South 
and  Southwest  walls  of  Fort  Sumter.    No  one  hurt. 

Floating  Battery,  3:30  P.  i\I.   Flave  been  struck  many  times 


30 


but  balls  have  not  started  a  bolt.  Several  narrow  escapes,  but 
all  well. 

Fort  Moultrie,  i  P.  Damages  so  far  trifling.  ]\Ien  in 
high  spirits;  obey  orders  like  veterans.  Lieut.  Hallonquist's 
Alortar  battery  and  the  Enfilading  battery  doing  splendid 
service,"  etc. 

Major  Anderson  began  to  use  his  barbette  guns  about  half- 
past  six  o'clock,  but  the  rain  of  missiles  from  every  side  quickly 
drove  the  men  to  the  casemates  where  the}^  remained.  To  pre- 
vent any .  further  attempt  to  fire  from  the  parapet,  both  Fort 
aim  chiefly  to  the  guns  there  located.  The  result  was  that  long 
before  dark,  nearly  every  gun  was  disabled,  the  carriages  shat- 
tered and  the  parapet  rendered  practically  defenceless. 

About  seven  o'clock  in  the  evening,  the  brisk  firing  of  the 
day  was  succeeded  by  a  comparative  calm  and  in  obedience  to 
orders  from  headquarters,  shells  were  thrown  from  the  various 
fortifications  during  the  remainder  of  the  night  only  at  intervals 
of  twenty  minutes.  ]\Iajor  Anderson  made  no  response  and  his 
men  exhausted  by  their  work  in  the  smoky  atmosphere  of  the 
casemates,  evidently  sought  rest  in  sleep. 

Among  our  fortifications,  enthusiasm  might  have  been  wit- 
nessed in  its  most  fiery  do-or-die  stage.  The  lust  of  battle 
glowed  in  the  face  and  sparkled  in  the  eyes.  j\Iany  of  the  men 
never  before  had  heard  a  shotted  gun,  yet  with  a  mixture  of 
chivalry  and  rashness  that  was  in  itself  inspiring,  they  would 
spring  to  the  crest  of  an  earthwork  after  each  fire  to  watch  the 
effect  of  their  aim  and  cheer  for  Major  Anderson  as  the  respon- 
sive missiles  came  shrieking  back. 

It  was  a  curious  blending  of  humanity  that  one  saw,  but 
you  could  not  fail  to  be  impressed  by  the  fact  that  as  a  whole, 
it  represented  the  people  of  South  Carolina.  In  their  shirt 
sleeves,  with  heads  bare  and  faces  smoke-begrimed,  working  the 
heavy  guns,  Avere  gentlemen  you  met  only  a  few  days  before  in 
their  business  or  social  haunts — man}"  of  tliem  elegant  in  manner 
and  types  of  wealth  and  leisure.  Here  was  a  clergyman  or  his 
deacons ;  there^  a  bank  president  or  wholesale  merchant ;  yonder 
a  group  of  sturdy  mechanics  fresh  from  the  workbench,  while  a 
little  further  on,  protected  by  a  friendly  traverse,  you  might  have 
stumbled  against  a  cluster  of  rich  old  planters  who,  with  their 
negroes  helped  to  build  these  very  fortifications,  gathered  around 
a  lunch-basket  in  the  discussion  of  cold  chicken  and  punctuating 
their  comments  in  draughts  of  time  honored  old  iMadeira  from 
silver  goblets.  The  best  in  their  cellars  was  not  tbo  good  to 
grace  such  a  momentous  occasion.  And  so,  scattered  through 
the  several  commands,  were  representatives  of  all  callings — 
judges,  journalists,  legislators,  lawyers,  public  officials,  citizens 

31 


of  town  and  country  and  every  one  proud  to  serve  as  a  soldier 
in  the  ranks. 

The  aggregate  weaUh  of  several  of  the  companies  may  be 
estimated  in  millions,  while  Washington,  Rutledge,  Laurens, 
Lowndes,  Rhett,  Calhoun,  Ravenel,  Pickens,  Pinckney,  Hamil- 
ton, Preston,  Butler,  iViiddleton,  Manigault,  Mazyck,  Miles, 
Porcher,  Horry,  Huger,  Gaillard,  Gadsden,  Gourdin,  Barnwell, 
Greene,  Elliott,  Izard,  Moore,  Grimke,  Whaley,  Yates,  Snow- 
den,  Pleyward,  Drayton,  Earle,  McPherson  and  other  names 
illustrious  in  the  history  of  the  State  were  heard  answering  to 
the  roll-call — "Here!" 

Thomas  Sumter,  the  grandson  of  the  "Game  Cock  of  the 
Revolution,"  after  wdiom  the  fort  was  named  in  1833,  was  a 
private  in  the  Palmetto  Guards.  Ex-Gov.  John  L.  Manning, 
grandson  of  Gen.  Laurence  Manning,  one  of  the  heroes  of 
Eutaw,  was  also  a  private  in  the  ranks.  The  venerable  Edmund 
Ruffin  of  A'irginia,  likewise  claimed  a  place  in  the  picture,  and 
because  he  he  had  travelled  from  Virginia  for  the  purpose,  was 
permitted  as  before  said,  to  lire  the  first  shot  against  Fort  Sumter 
from  the  Iron  Battery. 

Out  of  the  many,  here  is  one  of  the  personal  incidents  that 
occurred  during  the  day.  It  illustrates  the  patriotic  pride  and 
good  humour  rliat  everywdiere  prevailed.  During  the  heaviest 
of  the  firing  from  Fort  Sumter,  Col.  Lamar,  who  was  making  a 
tour  of  the  batteries  on  Morris  Island,  found  one  of  the  men 
needlessly  exposed,  but  stoHdly  maintaining  his  position  at  a 
gun  which  being  pointed  seaward  was  of  no  manner  of  present 
use.  Kiio\\ing  the  man  (who  was  from  Edgefield  District),  he 
called  out:  "Hello  there,  Lloyd,  what  in  thunder  are  you  doing 
by  that  gun  in  the  midst  of  this  fire?  Jump  into  your  rat-hole, 
man,  quick!"  But  Lloyd  remained  inmiovable  and  looking 
askance  at  the  excavation  thus  humanely  recommended  to  his 
attention,  he  slowly  replied:  "Not  now,  Colonel,  the  durned 
thing-  might  cave  in  you  know,  and  then,  some  day  after  the 
battle  may  be  they'd  dig  me  out  and  be  sure  to  say:  'Well,  if 
here  ain't  Lloyd  Mitchell,  who  run  away  from  Major  Anderson 
and  stuck  himself  in  a  rat-hole!  Sarved  him  right!'  No  sir-ree, 
Colonel,  they  put  me  by  this  gun  and  I'll  stand  by  it  or  bust! 
Durn  yer  rat-holes  when  thar's  plenty  of  daylight." 

During  the  night,  fires  were  kept  brightly  blazing  in  the 
harbor  for  the  purpose  of  detecting  the  launches  of  the  distant 
fleet  sliould  they  attempt  to  relieve  the  garrison.  The  yellow 
glare  of  the  lightwood  flames  illuminated  the  darkness  for  miles 
around ;  the  rain  fell  in  torrents  and  the  wind  howled  wierd-like 
and  drearily  among  the  sand  hills  of  the  Islands.  So  ended  the 
first  day.    '  Persoxne. 


^2 


FIG H Tlx G  AMID  FIRE. 


April  13th,,  1 861. 
ITH  the  drawing  aside  of  the  curtains  of  the  night,  day- 
break came,  clear,  balmy  and  refreshing,  the  storm 
clouds  had  disappeared,  the  earth  was  cool  and  moist  and 
the  air  laden  with  the  perfume  of  April  rain  and  blossoms.  The 
flags  of  each  of  the  combatants  were  still  fiying  with  stately 
defiance  and  the  first  sunbeams  were  heralded  by  the  thundering 
tones  of  heavy  artillery  again  engaged  in  strife. 

The  efifect  of  yesterday's  bombardment  on  Fort  Sumter 
could  now  be  plainly  seen.  The  south  and  east  facades  to  which 
the  fire  from  Cumming's  Point  had  been  directed  and  the 
northern  facade  which  had  been  the  mark  of  Fort  ^loultrie,  the 
Floating  Battery  and  neighboring  works,  were  thickly  pitted. 
The  edge  of  the  parapet  was  cut  away,  several  of  the  guns  were 
dismounted  or  knocked  from  their  position  and  many  of  the 
embrasures  v\-ere  so  battered  that  the  regularity  of  their  outline 
could  scarcely  be  distmguislied. 

Firing  was  renewed  at  an  early  hour,  but  in  anticipation  of 
a  possible  movement  of  the  fleet,  that  from  Sullivan's  Island  was 
for  the  moment  confined  to  the  mortars  and  enfilading  battery 
and  to  a  few  guns  from  Fort  ^Moultrie.  Fire  from  Cumming's 
Point  was  maintained  at  regular  intervals  and  the  work  of  the 
heavy  columbiads  in  the  Iron  battery  was  concentrated  in  an 
endeavor  to  effect  a  breach  in  the  walls  as  well  as  to  destroy 
the  granite  defences  of  the  main  gate.  On  the  other  hand.  Fort 
Sumter  opened  early  and  spitefully,  with  special  attention  to  Fort 
jMoultrie,  almost  every  shot  grazing  the  crest  of  the  parapet  and 
crushing  through  the  quarters.  The  guns  bearing  upon  Cum- 
ming's  Point  were  not  served  for  some  time,  the  chief  compli- 
ments being  paid  by  ]\Iajor  Anderson  to  Ripley  on  Sullivan's 
Island  and  shot  answered  shot  angrily. 

The  air  was  filled  with  the  surly  whir  of  missiles.  From 
exploding  shells  burst  miniature  clouds  white  as  cotton  bolls 
and  in  the  perspective  scarcely  larger,  that  unfolding,  took  fanci- 
ful shapes  and  drifted  upwards  to  join  their  fleecy  companions  in 
the  sky.  Again,  the  wharves,  housetops  and  steeples  of  the  city 
were  thronged  with  eager-eyed  spectators,  their  attention  divided 
between  the  active  combatants  and  the  distant  offing  where,  it 
had  become  known,  a  fleet  of  vessels  and  more  than  a  thousand 
men,  sent  to  the  rescue  of  Anderson,  lay  idly  on  the  Avaters  and 
made  no  sign  of  help. 

About  eight  o'clock.  Col.  Ripley  began  to  throw  hot  shot 
from  Fort  3.Ioultrie,  and  shortly  afterwards,  on  the  southern 
portion  of  Sumter,  was  seen  a  tall,  steadily  ascending  column  of 


smoke.  At  first,  it  was  thin  and  pale,  but  every  moment  it  grew 
darker  and  darker  until,  shooting  out  from  the  base  of  the  black 
pillar,  great  yellow  tongues  of  flame  lapped  the  tops  of  the  bar- 
racks and  officer's  quarters.  In  the  city,  the  spectators  at  first 
thought  that  Major  Anderson  was  signalHng  the  fleet;  but  the 
impression  was  quickly  succeeded  by  the  startling  shout — 
"FORT  SUMTER  IS  ON  FIRE!" 

The  suspense  was  now  painful.  The  cannonade  from  the 
fort,  before  fierce  and  rapid,  became  slow  and  irregular,  like  the 
dying  gasps  of  a  stricken  warrior.  The  great  assemblage  con- 
templated the  strange  spectacle  with  a  feeling  of  awe  and  in 
bated  breath  and  solemn  silence,  testified  its  sympathy  for  the 
gallant  soldiers  now  contending  with  an  element  more  implacable 
than  man. 

At  nine  o'clock,  the  flames  appeared  to  be  abating,  but  at 
ten,  another  column  of  white  smoke  suddenly  arose  high  above 
the  battlements  followed  by  an  explosion.  It  was  evident  that 
the  fire  had  reached  a  magazine.  Then,  from  the  island,  we 
could  see  the  quarters  falling  in;  the  blackened  chimneys  top- 
pling above  the  walls  and  gradually  the  flames  sinking  behind 
the  parapet.  We  knew,  however,  that  Anderson  and  his  men 
were  still  alive,  at  least  some  of  them,  for  during  all  this  trying 
period,  there  came  at  intervals  a  shot  to  one  battery  or  another, 
as  if  to  say,  ''You  have  killed  me,  but  I'm  dying  game!" 

Such  was  the  impression  made  by  this  display  of  dogged 
courage  under  circumstances  so  desperate,  that  at  every  flash 
from  the  muzzles  of  his  guns,  our  soldiers  would  leap  to  the 
crests  of  the  earthworks  and  send  up  cheer  after  cheer  for  the 
gallant  defender  of  Fort  Sumter.  A  signal  of  distress  was  made 
to  the  fleet  in  the  offing,  but  there  being  no  response  from  that 
quarter,  it  was  left  to  Beauregard  to  tender  the  merciful  assis- 
tance for  which  the  call  had  been  made.  Captain  Stephen  D. 
Lee  and  Colonels  William  Porcher  Miles  and  Roger  A.  Pryor 
were  accordingly  dispatched  on  this  errand. 

Between  one  and  two  o'clock,  a  shot  from  Sullivan's  Island 
severed  the  flag  staf¥  and  brought  down  the  stars  and  stripes. 
Ten  or  fifteen  minutes  elapsed  before  the  flag  reappeared  and 
doubt  arose  whether  Major  Anderson  intended  to  raise  the  flag 
at  all.  During  this  interval,  ex-Senator  Wigfall  of  Texas,  a 
volunteer  aide  of  Beauregard,  with  that  peculiar  independence 
which  has  marked  his  entire  career,  accompanied  by  Private 
Gourdin  Young  of  the  Palmetto  Guard,  pushed  off  from  Morris 
Island  in  a  rowboat  and  showing  a  handkerchief  on  the  point  of 
his  sword,  went  to  Fort  Sumter.  Before  he  reached  his  destina- 
tion, however,  the  flag  was  again  flying.    Some  of  our  batteries, 


34 


therefore,  still  continued  their  lire,  those  in  command  not  being 
aAvare  of  the  miof!icial  and  miauthorized  mission  in  progress. 

Arriving  at  the  ledge  of  rocks  around  the  base  of  the  fort, 
Col.  Wigfall  was  met  by  Lieut.  Snyder  and  conducted  to  ]\Iajor 
Anderson.  A  parley  ensued.  The  former  announced  that  he 
Avas  an  aide  to  Gen.  Beaureg-ard,  and,  observing  the  condition  of 
affairs — the  flag  down  and  the  garrison  in  a  great  strait— he  had 
come  to  receive  a  surrender  and  oft'er  such  assistance  as  might 
be  required.  He  likewise  remarked  to  ]\Iajor  Anderson  that  he 
had  nobly  done  his  duty  in  conducting  the  defence  and  to  pro- 
long the  contest  would  be  to  unnecessarily  risk  the  lives  of  his 
command  without  commensurate  results.  3.Iajor  Anderson 
replied  that  his  flag  had  been  hoisted  again,  but  that  the  Con- 
federate batteries  did  not  seem  to  respect  the  truce. 

Cpl.  AMgfall  stated  that  the  batteries  on  Cumming's  Point 
had  ceased  firing  and  those  on  Stillivan's  Island  would  follow 
the  example  as  soon  as  they  Avere  apprised  of  the  truce  ;  but,  he 
added,  "they  will  continue  to  fire  as  long  as  the  United  States 
flag  is  flying."  ]\Iajor  Anderson  then  desiring  to  know  what 
terms  he  came  to  oft'er,  Col.  Wigfall  replied,  "the  terms  that  have 
alread}-  been  offered  you  by  Gen.  Beauregard,  who  is  a  gentle- 
man and  a  soldier  and  knows  how  to  treat  a  brave  enemy.  The 
precise  nature  of  these.  Gen.  Beauregard  will  arrange  with  you." 
''Then."'  replied  ^Major  Anderson.  "I  have  no  other  resoiu'ce;  we 
are  all  in  flames  and  my  men  will  shortly  stiffocate." 

Col.  Wigfall  now  left  the  fort,  when  the  flag  was  taken  • 
down,  a  white  flag  raised  and  the  firing  entirely  ceased.  On  his 
return  to  Cumming's  Point,  the  impulsive  Texan  who  had  thus 
assumed  such  a  vast  responsibility,  was  received  with  great  en- 
thusiasm, but  his  unauthorized  act  led  to  annoying  complica- 
tions. 

The  boat  containing  Captain  Lee  and  Colonels  Pryor  and 
i\Iiles  who  had  started  to  offer  assistance,  turned  back  to  the 
city  on  the  reappearance  of  the  flag,  believing  that  ]\Iajor  Ander- 
son intended  still  to  press  the  fight,  but  now,  seeing  the  white 
flag  raised,  they  again  pushed  on  to  the  fort.  Announcing 
that  they  had  come  directly  from  Gen.  Beauregard,  they  were 
informed  of  the  A'isit  of  Col.  Wigfall,  ''as  an  aide  to  and  by 
authorit}'  of  Gen.  Beauregard."  Major  Anderson  was  promptly 
told  that  Col.  Wigfall  being  absent  from  headquarters  had  not 
seen  Beauregard  for  two  days.  Xaturally  vexed  at  the  awkv-ard 
position  in  which  he  had  been  placed,  ]\Iajor  Anderson  ex- 
pressed much  regret  at  his  action,  and  proposed  to  resume  the 
fight,  but  he  finally  consented  to  reduce  to  writing  the  terms 
proposed  by  Col.  AVigfall  and  those  upon  which  he  would  evac- 
uate the  fort.    This  note  was  brought  to  Gen.  Beauregard  by 


35 


Capt.  S.  D.  Lee;  and  thereupon,  Major  D.  R.  Jones,  Assistant 
Adjutant  General,  and  Col.  Charles  Allston  Jr.  were  forthwith 
despatched  to  more  formally  arrange  the  terms  of  capitulation. 
These  are  identically  the  same  as  those  offered  on  the  iith  of 
April,  namely: 

First,  That  all  proper  facilities  shall  be  offered  for  removing 
Major  Anderson  and  all  his  command,  together  with  company 
arms  and  property  and  all  private  property. 

Second.  That  the  Federal  flag,  so  long  and  bravely  de- 
fended shall  be  saluted  by  the  vanquished  on  taking  it  down. 

Third.  That  Major  Anderson  shall  be  allowed  to  fix  the  time 
of  surrender,  to  take  place,  however,  sometime  tomorrow  (Sun- 
day.) 

It  ought  to  be  added  that  the  steamer  which  carried  to  Fort 
Sumter  the  above  named  officers,  also  conveyed  Chief  M.  H. 
Nathan  of  the  Charleston  Fire  Department  and  the  Palmetto 
Fire  Engine  company  for  whom  there  is  probably  a  great  deal 
of  work  yet  in  store,  as  the  conflagration  is  still  slumbering  in 
the  fort  and  the  magazines  are  in  danger. 

And  so,  has  happily  ended  the  most  eventful  day  in  the 
history  of  vSouth  Carolina.  No  one  has  been  hurt;  no  tears  save 
those  of  rejoicing  need  be  shed  and  our  people  are  sleeping  to- 
night free  from  the  weight  of  anxiety  that  for  weeks  has  op- 
pressed them  like  a  nightmare. 

Personne. 


THE  FA  LLEN  FOR  T. 

Charleston,  April  14,  1861. 

CHE  FORMAL  capitulation  and  evacuation  of  Fort  Sumter 
took  place  today,  and  your  correspondent  has  had  an  op- 
portunity to  observe  the  effect  of  the  bombardment,  listen 
to  the  experience  of  some  of  the  officers  and  men  and  witness 
the  ceremonies  of  departure. 

Preparations  began  at  an  early  hour.  At  five  o'clock  Capt. 
Hartstene  accompanied  by  several  members  of  Beauregard's 
staff,  and  by  Lieut.  Snyder  of  Major  Anderson's  command,  pro- 
ceeded in  the  steamer  Clinch  to  the  fleet  off  the  bar  where  it  was 
arranged  that  the  garrison  should  take  its  departure  in  the 
Steamship  Isabel  at  noon. 

Permission  to  salute  his  flag  having  been  accorded  to  him, 
Anderson  made  arrangements  to  fire  one  hundred  guns.  The 
firing  was  in  progress  and  the  flag  still  flying  from  the  rampart, 
when  by  the  premature  discharge  of  a  gun,  the  arm  of  one  of  the 


36 


gunners  was  blown  off.  The  ignited  fragment  of  a  cartridge  bag 
fell  upon  a  pile  of  cartidges  awaiting  use,  when  they  too  ex- 
ploded with  fatal  results,  one  man  being  killed,  another  mortally 
wounded,  and  three  others  seriously  injured.  The  occurrence  of 
these  accidents  not  only  delayed  the  departure  of  the  command, 
but  induced  ]\Iajor  Anderson  to  be  satisfied  with  a  salute  of  fifty 
guns  instead  of  one  hundred.  Amid  the  echoes  of  the  last  dis- 
charge, the  Stars  and  Stripes  slowly  descended,  and  amid  the 
cheers  of  crowds  on  the  shores,  steamers  and  other  craft  assem- 
bled, the  Battle-Drama  closed. 

^Meanwhile,  Rev,  W'm.  B.  Yates,  the  Sailor's  Chaplain,  w-as 
sent  for  to  perform  the  burial  rites  for  the  stranger  soldier  who 
had  passed  unscathed  through  the  battle  only  to  be  stricken 
down  while  hopefully  awaiting  a  happy  reunion  with  wife  and 
children.  The  mangled  remains  were  laid  in  a  hastily  prepared 
grave  in  the  middle  of  the  parade  ground,  the  earth  was  heaped 
up,  a  volley  fired,  the  drums  beat  a  muffled  roll  and  the  garrison 
sadly  turned  away  forever  from  their  dead  comrade. 

During  these  proceedings,  which  occurred  betw'een  12  and 
I  o'clock,  Gov.  Pickens,  with  his  aides,  and  Messrs  Jamison, 
Harlee  and  IMagrath  of  his  executive  Council,  Gen.  Beauregard 
and  aides.  Chancellor  Carroll,  Judges  Wardlaw  and  Glover,  and 
a  number  of  invited  guests  were  on  their  way  to  Fort  Sumter, 
but  as  it  became  evident  that  the  evacuation  was  not  complete, 
Beauregard,  with,  a  delicacy  of  feeling  that  is  both  honorable 
and  characteristic,  ordered  the  boat  to  Sullivan's  Island,  where 
the  party  remained  until  the  ceremonies  in  Fort  Sumter  w^ere 
finished. 

At  4  o'clock  the  garrison,  dressed  in  full  uniform  and  car- 
rying their  arms,  marched  out  to  the  tune  of  ''Yankee  Doodle." 
Major  Anderson  unshipped  the  upper  part  of  the  flagstaff  and 
carried  it  with  him  as  a  memento  of  the  fierce  bombardment. 

Mrs.  H.  B.  Bonnetheau  of  this  city  and  a  s^'^ter  of  Lieut. 
Jefferson  C.  Davis  enjoy  the  distinction  of  being  the  first  civilians 
to  enter  the  fort  today.  ^liss  Davis  having  been  at  school  here, 
it  was  deemed  advisable  that  she  should  return  to  the  North 
wdth  her  brother,  and  accordingly,  under  the  escort  of  Col.  A.  R. 
Chisholm  of  Beauregard's  staff,  the  ladies  went  Sumter  in 
order  that  she  might  embark  with  him  on  the  I.-abel.  Mrs. 
Bonnetheau  was  permitted  to  witness  the  ceremonv  of  saluting 
the  fiag,  and  consequently  saw  the  accidents  that  followed  and 
the  burial  of  the  dead  soldier.  As  a  souvenir  of  the  occasion, 
she  received  a  fragm.ent  of  the  riddled  flag  which  the  brave 
commander  refused  to  lower  until  stern  necessitv  was  upon  him. 

It  is  a  noteworthv  fact  that  when  the  Isabel  steamed  away, 
the  soldiers  at  the  batteries  on  Cumming's  Point  lined  the 


37 


beach,  silent  and  with  heads  uncovered,  while  Anderson  and  his 
command  passed  before  them.  It  was  not  in  their  hearts  to 
utter  one  exultant  sound  over  the  defeat  of  brave  men. 

The  work  was  now  temporarily  garrisoned  by  Company  B 
of  the  Regular  Artillery,  commanded  by  Capt.  Hallonquist  and 
Lieutenants  Alfred  Rhett,  Mitchell  and  Blake  and  by  the  Pal- 
metto Guard  under  Capt.  Cuthbert,  all  being  under  the  com- 
mand of  Col.  Ripley.  The  Confederate  flag  was  raised  upon 
the  rampart  by  Capt.  Samuel  Ferguson,  the  aide  of  Gen.  Beau- 
regard, the  flag  of  the  State  being  raised  at  the  same  time  by 
Col.  J.  L.  Bearing  of  Gov.  Pickens'  staff.  The  latter  flag  was 
presented  to  the  State  autlionties  l)y  several  ladies  with  the 
injunction:  "This  flag  shall  only  be  unfurled  on  the  walls  of 
Fort  Srmiter." 

Major  Anderson  looked  deeply  despondent.  He  is  a  man 
in  the  prime  of  life,  and  apparently  not  more  than  flft3^-six 
years  old,  yet  these  recent  events  seem  to  have  added  ten  more 
to  the  score.  Born  in  Kentucky,  a  graduate  of  West  Point  of 
the  class  of  1825,  promoted  for  gallantry  in  the  war  against 
the  Seminoles,  an  instructor  of  artillery  in  the  Alilitary  Acad- 
emy in  1835,  1836  and  1837,  an  aide  de  camp  to  Gen.  Scott  in 
1838,  distinguished  in  the  Mexican  War  and  severely  wounded 
in  the  assault  on  Molino  del  Rey,  he  is  a  fine  specimen  of  the 
American  officer  and  gentlem.an;  and  no  one  more  keenly  than 
Gen.  Beauregard,  his  associate  in  other  fields  of  action,  sympa- 
thises with  the  old  soldier  in  the  bitter  mortification  of  the  hour. 

The  personal  appearance  of  Major  Anderson,  his  officers 
and  men,  attested  the  terrible  character  of  the  ordeal  through 
which  they  had  passed.  Deprived  of  sleep  for  many  hours, 
.fatigued  by  their  labor  at  the  guns  and  prostrated  by  their 
struggle  with  an  element  which  raged  beyond  control,  the}'' 
looked  worn,  haggard  and  exhausted.  The  Federal  com- 
mander stated  that  the  preservation  of  life  during  the  battle 
was  owing-  chiefly  to  the  smallness  of  the  garrison.  Had  there 
been  two  hundred  more  men,  not  less  than  one-half  must  have 
been  killed.  Fie  also  observed  that  the  provisions  on  hand 
vvould  have  lasted  but  two  days  more,  when  an  unconditional 
surrender  must  have  taken  place  or  many  lives  have  been  sacri- 
ficed in  an  attempt  to  provision  and  reinforce  the  fort;  and  that 
in  view  of  all  the  circumstances,  notwithstanding  the  unfortu- 
nate termination  of  the  battle,  he  "felt  proud  in  the  conscious- 
ness that  while  performing  his  duty  to  the  utmost,  he  had  not 
taken  the  life  of  a  human  being."  The  officers  of  the  distant 
fleet  had  made  arrangements  for  supplying  the  fort  on  the 
night  of  the  12th,  but  owing  to  the  storm  and  other  unforeseen 
causes,  the  plans  had  miscarried. 


38 


The  appearance  of  Fort  Sumter  baffles  description.  Ex- 
ternally eA'ery  facade  upon  which  our  batteries  played  is  thickly 
pitted  by  the  spattering  balls.  The  effect  of  the  direct  shot 
was  an  indentation  of  the  walls,  and  the  marks  may  be  counted 
by  hundreds.  Lieut.  Foster  counted  600.  The  edges  of  the 
parapet  are  loosened  and  ragged,  and  great  masses  of  brick 
and  stone  work  that  have  been  torn  away  mingde  with  the 
fragments  of  shot  and  shell  at  the  rocky  base.  Within,  the 
blackened  walls  of  the  quarters  and  barracks  are  yet  smoking. 
The  parade  ground  is  strewn  with  fragments  of  bursted  iron 
and  smouldering  cinders.  At  cA'cry  turn,  the  eye  rests  upon 
ruin.  The  flagstaff,  marked  in  a  number  of  places  by  the 
passing  shot,  is  partly  hidden  by  the  debris,  and  busy  hands 
haA'e  already  begun  to  secure  its  splinters  as  relics.  Imbedded 
in  the  Avail  of  the  magazine  is  a  round  shot:  within  the  maga- 
zine itself,  is  another,  AAdiich  passed  completely  through  the  Avail 
and  fell  among  the  grains  of  pOAvder  spilled  upon  the  floor  by 
the  men;  Avhile  the  massive  iron  door  Avas  struck  by  the 
fragment  of  a  shell  Avith  such  force  as  to  bend  and  make  it 
useless. 

On  the  parapet,  CA'ery  step  is  impeded  by  shattered  gun 
carriages,  crumbling  masses  of  brick  Avork  and  dismounted  and 
broken  guns  that  look  as  if  they  had  been  tossed  about  by  angry 
Titans.  The  crashing  of  shot,  the  bursting  of  shells,  the  roaring 
of  the  flames  and  the  falling  of  the  Avails  made  a  pandemonium 
amid  Avhich  must  haA^e  rcA^elled  the  demon  of  destruction. 

From  one  of  the  officers  it  is  learned  that  during  the  fire 
eA'ery  man  labored  zealously  to  check  its  progress.  Orders 
Avere  giA'en  to  remoAX  the  pOAvder  from  the  magazine,  but  so 
rapid  Avas  the  spread  of  the  flames  that  only  fifty  barrels  could 
be  taken  out  and  distributed  in  the  casemates.  By  tweh'e 
o'clock  all  the  Avood  Avork  of  the  officers'  quarters  and  the  bar- 
racks on  the  south  and  Avest  face  Avere  in  process  of  destruction. 
The  smoke  rose  in  an  immense  A'olume  and  the  garrison  AA-as 
at  last  forced  to  take  refuge  in  the  casemates.  Even  here,  they 
Avere  folloAved  by  blazing  cinders  Avhich  set  on  fire  boxes,  beds 
and  other  articles  that  had  been  secured.  It  finally  became 
dangerous  to  retain  the  poAvder  taken  from  the  magazines; 
accordingly,  all  but  five  barrels  Avere  throAvn  from  the  em- 
brasures into  the  Avater.  The  air  Avas  like  the  blast  of  a  'seething 
furnace,  the  smoke  stifling,  and  officers  and  men  in  common  lay 
panting  on  the  heated  floor  Avith  Avet  handkerchiefs  upon  their 
faces  to  saAX  the  remnant  of  Avell  nigh  exhausted  lives. 

The  injuries  to  the  Confederate  batteries  are  comparatively 
unimportant.  The  nondescript  iron  or  StcAxns'  Battery  Avas 
struck  many  times,  but  the  balls  glanced  off  and  Avent  shrieking 


39 


over  the  sandhills.  The  Floating  Battery  with  its  iron  front 
also  faithfully  withstood  the  battle-storm.  It  received  163  shots 
and  fired  490.  Fort  Moultrie,  on  the  other  hand,  bears  evi- 
dence of  the  careful  attention  paid  to  it  by  Anderson's  artillery 
in  return  for  some  forty  rounds  of  hot  shot  and  sundry  other 
iron  compliments  which  the  occasion  called  forth.  Lieut.  John 
Mitchell  Jr.,  a  son  of  the  Irish  patriot,  was  one  of  the  of^cers 
here  until  his  transfer  to  Fort  Sumter  today. 

The  barracks  are  almost  entirely  destroyed  and  beds  and 
bedding  in  many  instances  are  torn  to  shreds.  The  Confederate 
flag  received  three  and  the  Palmetto  flag  four  wounds  that  some 
day  may  make  them  memorable.  Is  it  a  coincidence  that  the 
number  of  the  seceded  States  is  seven?  One  shell  entered  the 
quarters  of  Col.  Ripley  and  burst  on  the  bureau,  spoiling  every 
architectural  feature  and  demolishing  every  article  of  use  in 
the  apartment.  Those  who  are  familiar  with  Col.  Ripley's  su- 
perb command  of  pyrotechnic  phrases  in  various  languages 
may  imagine  with  what  force  his  verbal  explosion  followed  the 
other. 

The  outside  walls  of  Fort  Moultrie  have  been  struck  by 
more  than  100  balls,  while  the  battered  roofs,  ragged  apertures 
large  enough  to  admit  a  horse,  the  wreck  of  furniture  and  the 
mixture  of  splinters,  rafters  and  pulverised  ceilings  represent 
everything  terrible  in  gunpowder — except  death. 

The  troops,  firemen  and  others  whose  duties  are  there  will 
remain  in  Fort  Sumter  until  further  orders.  The  last  steamer 
brought  back  to  the  city  all  the  visitors  who  have  lingered 
among  the  stirring  scenes  of  an  eventful  Sunday.  In  starting  on 
our  return,  we  saw  on  the  rocky  ledge  at  the  base  of  the  fort, 
an  old  man.  With  canteen  and  blanket  strapped  around  his 
shoulders,  leaning  thoughtfully  upon  his  rifle,  his  fine  figure 
crowned  by  long  silver  hair  that  told  of  seventy-four  years  of 
active  life,  the  aged  patriot  stood  there  in  the  twilight,  a  faithful 
personification  of  the  spirit  of  the  Southern  Volunteer.  It  was 
the  venerable  Edmund  Ruf^in  of  Virginia — he  who  had  jour- 
neyed hither  from  the  Mother  of  States  to  fire  the  first  gun  for 
South  Carolina. 


40 


THE  PHRASE,  ••Campstool/'  is,  vre 
hope  sufficiently  expressive  to  indicate 
that  this  portion  of  our  serial  is  de- 
sig-ned  to  be  a  gathering  place  for  remin- 
iscence. It  "vrill  be  a  kind  of  postscript  to 
"Army  Letters,"  and  all  who  possess  an- 
ecdotes of  the  war  worthy  of  preserva- 
tion, are  in^■ited  to  make  it  interesting. 
Many  an  old  scrap-book  will  prove  a 
mine  of  information. 

*  *  * 

WE  CAXXOT  pay  more  direct  compli- 
ment to  the  citizens  of  Columbia,  among 
whom  we  have  renewed  home  ties  and 
established  the  present  publication,  than 
by  reproducing,  from  old  war  memoran- 
da, the  roster  of  the  Governor's  Guards, 
who,  with  the  Columbia  Greys,  Captain 
Wallace,  afterward  Colonel  of  Kershaw's 
Regiment,  now  the  efficient  Postmaster 
of  Columbia,  started  for  Charleston  on 
the  afternoon  of  April  11th,  1861,  in  obedi- 
ence to  orders  by  telegraph  to  join  their 
regiment — the  Second,  commanded  by  Col. 
J.  B.  Kershaw.  Those  who  survive,  will 
remember  that  they  were  escorted  to  the 
depot  on  that  occasion  hy  the  honorary 
members  of  the  Richland  Rifle  company. 
Captain  Radcliffe;  the  Emmett  Guards, 
Lieutenant  Brennan;  the  College  Cadets, 
Capt.  John  H.  Gary,  and  the  Independent 
Fire  company,  Captain  Mackey. 

The  roll  of  the  members  of  the  Greys 
is  not  at  hand,  but  the  officers  and  mem- 
bers of  the  Guards  who  responded  to  the 
call  of  duty  are  as  follows: 

W.  H.  Casson,  Captain. 

M.  A.  Shelton,  First  Lieutenant. 


P.  Brown,  Second  Lieutenant. 

F.  Gaillard,  Third  Lieutenant. 

J.  S.  Leaphart,  First  Sergeant. 

P.  H.  B.  Shulex',  Second  Sergeant. 

S.  L.  Leaphart,  Third  Sergeant. 

J.  C.  Reid,  Fourth  Sergeant. 

John  A.  Elkins,  Fifth  Sergeant. 

R.  Brown,  First  Corporal. 

William  Barton,  Second  Corporal. 

J.  T.  Wells,  Third  Corporal. 

J.  A.  Ruff,  Fourth  Corporal. 

E.  C.  Plumer,  Fifth  Corporal. 

J.  Mcintosh,  Sixth  Corporal. 

PRIVATES. 
M.  J.  Anderson.         Charles  Hambur^ 
W.  E.  Asbury.  s.  L.  Kali. 

A.  P.  Abbott.  John  Haunwell. 

A.  G.  Anderson.        M.  Johnston. 
Thomas  Altee.  l.  W.  Jennings. 

W.  C.  Brown.  g.  C.  Jones. 

C.  C.  Banks.  j.  D.  Kinman. 

J.  P.  Brazill.  j.  j.  Keller. 

J.  H.  Bartlett.  b.  H.  Knight, 

G.  T.  Cooper.  j.  c.  Kenneth. 

J.  W.  Cavis.  George  Lever. 

J.  W.  Cooper  X.  S.  Long. 

J-  Clark.  H.  H.  Loomis. 

J.  H.  Casson.  T.  P.  McCarier. 

Julius  Driesen.  J.  p.  Matthews. 

William  Douglas,  A.  McKeehee. 
J.  T.  Durin.  B.  W.  Means. 

J.  H.  Davis.  George  Meetze. 

John  Davis.  G.    B.    W.  Mon 

J.  B.  DuBose.  gomery. 
A.  E.  Edwards.  W.  M.  Myers. 

G.  R.  Field.  W.  McCasson. 

X.  H.  Fleming.  D.  J.  McDonald. 

J.  W.  Gaither.  R.  C.  Myers. 

James  Grepn.  F.  W.  McMaster. 

M.  B.  Green.  H.  X'oll. 

Charles  Goodwin.  Joseph  Xewman, 
C.  F.  Hoeffer.  J.  L.  X'ott. 

WilMam  Hennies,      W.  Parker. 
J.  W.  Hall.  J.  M.  Plumer. 


41 


W.  J.  Randolph. 
J.  F.  Roberts. 
J.  D.  Roberts. 
J.  Raleigh. 
E.  J.  Richbourg. 
James  Sims. 
S.  E.  Senn. 
W.  C.  Shultze. 
W.  D.  Starling. 
S.  Stricliland. 
E.  R.  Stokes. 


J.  D.  Stubbs. 
W.  G.  Stubbs. 
H.  A.  Strickland. 
A.  L.  Solomons. 
J.  H.  Shivernell. 
J.  Thurston. 
J.  F.  Farrar. 
N.  L.  Turner. 
W.  H.  West. 
S.  L.  Williams 
W.  T.  T\  alter. 


OLD  MEMORIES  will  also  be  revived 
by  the  announcement  that  "the  main 
bod3'  of  the  Sixth  Regiment,  South  Car- 
olina Volunteers,  Col.  James  H.  Rion, 
composed  of  some  of  the  flower  of  the 
population  of  Chester  and  Fairfield  Dis- 
tricts reached  Columbia  today  (April  11, 
1861),  in  time  to  take  a  train  for  Charles- 
ton. 

"The  following  companies  comprise  the 
Regiment: 

"Buckhead  Guards  (Fairfield),  Capt.  E. 
J.  Means:  Calhoun  Guards  (Chester), 
Capt.  J.  F.  Walker;  Catawba  Guards 
(Chester),  Capt.  G.  L.  Strait;  Chester 
Guards  (Chester),  Capt.  O.  Hardin;  Boyce 
Guards  (Fairfield),  Capt.  J.  N.  Shedd; 
Pickens  Guards  (Chester),  Capt.  J.  M. 
Moore:  Little  River  Guards  (Fairfield), 
Capt.  J.  M.  Brice:  Chester  Blues  (Ches- 
ter), Capt.  E.  C.  McClure;  Cedar  Creek 
Rifles  (Fairfield),  Capt.  J.  R.  Harrison; 
Fairfield  Fe.ncibles  (Fairfield),  Capt.  John 
Bratton. 

"These  companies  average  about  ninety 
g'ood  and  true  men. 

"Capt.  Alexander  R.  Taylor's  crack 
company  of  Mounted  Riflemen  will  leave 
for  Charleston  on  Friday." 


ROSTERS  of  Confederate  soldiers  are 
Rolls  of  Honor.  Monuments  in  a  hun- 
dred Southern  cities  pay  tribute  to  the 
memory  of  the  men  who  "went  down  to 
their  graves  in  bloody  shrouds,"  but  no 
tablet  of  bronze  or  marble  can  be  more 
expressive  in  its  silent  story  than  the 
plain,  unvarnished  records  of  the  killed 
and  wounded.  No  voice  can  be  more 
tenderly  eloquent  than  that  of  some 
scarred  and  wrinkled  veteran,  who,  ris- 
ing tremulously  in  his  seat  when  the 
roll  is  called,  can  only  answer  for  his 


missing  comrade,  "Dead  on  the  field  of 
battle." 

What  a  suggestive  list  is  the  following! 
Four  5'ears  of  bloody  history  pass  in  grim 
review.  The  Richland  Rifles,  Company 
C,  volunteered  "for  three  years  or  the 
war,"  joined  the  First  Regiment,  S.  C. 
v..  Col.  Maxcy  Gregg,  and  from  Manas- 
sas to  Appomatox  its  killed  and  wounded 
fell  on  every  field.  Out  of  106  members 
who  left  Columbia  in  1861,  17  were  killed, 
44  wounded  and  34  died.  Several  are  still 
"missing,"  and  those  that  remain  may  be 
counted  on  one's  hands  with  the  thumbs 
turned  down. 

COMMISSIONED  OFFICERS. 

Capt.  John  Cordero,  dead. 

Lieut.  James  McMahon,  promoted. 

Lieut.  Henry  C.  Heise,  wounded  three 
times:  became  acting  captain  and  sur- 
rendered company  at  Appomattox. 

Lieut.  Ralph  E.  B.  Hewetson,  made 
quartermaster,  with  rank  of  captain; 
dead. 

Lieut.  J.  T.  Proctor,  lost  leg  at  Fred- 
ericksburg 

NON-COMMISSIONED  OFFICERS. 

First  Sergt.  Lawrence  A.  Smith,  killed 
at  Second  Manassas. 

First  Sergt.  Theodore  Smith,  killed. 

First  Sergt.  James  R.  Hamilton,  wound- 
ed twice:    promoted  from  ranks. 

Second  Sergt.  Francis  M.  Baughman, 
promoted  to  third  lieutenant;  living. 

Third  Sergt.  John  L.  Root,  wounded; 
living. 

Fourth  Sergt.  James  H.  Taylor,  made 
regimental  color  bearer;  killed. 

Fifth  Sergt.  Rufus  N.  Richbourg, 
wounded  twice;  promoted  to  lieutenant. 

Corporal  John  W.  Cordero,  wounded  at 
Fredericksburg-;    died  in  hospital. 

Corporal  Lewis  J.  Levy,  promoted. 

Corporal  John  L.  Shotwell,  dead. 

Corporal  Osgood  A.  Mood,  dead. 

Musician  Samuel  Steed,  dead. 

Musician  William  Rose,  living. 
PRIA^ATES. 

Abbott,  Ancrum  P.,  killed. 

Abbott,  John,  wounded. 

Baughman,  Charles  W.,  wounded;  died 
in  prison. 

Baughman,  Henry  L.,  wounded,  Gettys- 
burg. 

Barefield,  Archibald,  dead. 
Ballew,  James  S.,  wounc^ed;  died  in  hos- 
pital. 

Beard,  William  A.,  wounded;  dead. 
Bennet,    Charles    E.,    killed  Frazer's 
Farm. 

■Byers,  Samuel  R.,  unknown. 
Bunch,  Samuel  F.,  dead. 
Berrj-,  Edward,  dead. 


42 


Barker,  Alfred  L.,  wounded  at  Peters- 
burg-. 

Bourke,  John  A.,  wounded  at  Freder- 
icksburg. 

Brewer,  Daniel,  wounded;  dead. 

Bowling,  Wash,  unknown. . 

Busby,  Jake,  discharged,  disability. 

Carter,  J.  B.,  wounded;  dead. 

Corley,  Simpson,  discharged;  disability. 

Clancey,  Arthur  R.,  acting  color  bear-^.r 
when  wounded. 

Dallas,  Judson  C,  wounded. 

Doherty,  Charles,  unknown. 

Dent,  John  T.,  discharged;  disability. 

Dunnovant,  Thomas  J.,  dead. 

Edwards,  Adam  E.,  wounded. 

Fanning,  John,  dead. 

Eraser,  James,  lost  arm. 

Friday,  James  C,  unknown. 

Garwood,  Robert  B.,  unknown. 

Glaze,  David,  dead. 

Glover,  John  R.,  dead. 

Gurley,  Franklin  H.,  dead. 

Graham,  Charles,  wounded,  Gaines' 
Mill. 

Hurt,   ,  wovmded,  Wilderness. 

Healey,  John  B.,  unknown. 
Howell,  Charles  B.,  unknown. 
Hornsby,  William  D.,  wounded,  Chan- 
cellorsville. 
Hook,  Samuel  C, wounded,  Gaines'  Mill. 
Hornsby,  James  H.,  wounded. 
Hubbs,  F.  J.,  killed.  Second  Manassas. 

Hussey,  George  P.,  discharged,  inabil- 
ity. 

Hendrix,  Daniel  J.,  unknown. 
Johnston,  Thomas  C,  dead. 
Jackson,  dead. 

Keckley,  George  M.,  promoted;  dead. 

Key,  John,  wounded;  dead. 

Kelley,  Thomas,  dead. 

La  Borde,  Oscar  A.,  promoted  lieuten- 
ant Regular  Army  C.  S.  A. 

Lee,  Jesse,  wounded,  Sharpsburg;  dead. 

Lucas,  William  H.,  wounded,  Gaines' 
Mill. 

Mathias,  John  T.,  wounded,  Petersburg, 
dead. 

Monteith,  Nathaniel  H.,  dead. 

Monteith,  Ainsley  H.,  appointed  cuar- 
termaster:    wounded,  Chancellorsville. 

Monteith,  Walter  S.,  transferred  cav- 
alry. 

Mott,  John,  unknown. 
McCaw,  James,  wounded. 
Mayrant,  R.  P.,  Sr.,  dead. 

Nipper,   ,  unknown. 

O'Donnell,  Charles,  killed,  Fredericks- 
burg. 

Odom,  Alfred,  killed,  Chancellorsville. 
Petsch,  James  B.,  unknown. 
Poat,  Charles,  killed.  Second  Manassas. 
Pollock,    Clarence  J.,    killed,  Spottsyl- 
vania. 

Powell,  Edgar  A.,  dead. 


Rawlings,  Charles  A.,  wounded;  died 
in  hospital. 

Renno,  John  A.,  detailed  Army  P.  O. 

Riggs,  Benjamin  S.,  wounded,  Freder- 
icksburg. 

Ruff,  Paul  M.,  wounded,  Ox  Hill. 

Ruff,  Walter  G.,  killed.  Five  Forks. 

Snellgrove,  Joshua  A.,  killed. 

Sanders,  George  W.,  transferred  Mary- 
land line. 

Stratton,  Samuel  E.,  detailed  C.  S. 
Treasury. 

Saunders,  August  S.,  dead. 

Stiles,  William,  dead. 

Smith,  Thomas,  dead. 

Smith,  Joseph  F.,  dead 

Smith,  Theodore  L.,  promoted;  killed. 

Scott,  E.  W.,  transferred  Marj^land  line. 

Swygert,  Robert  H.,  wounded. 

Shepherd,  John  H.  H.,  killed.  Wilder- 
ness. 

Smith,  J.  E.,  unknown. 
Squier,  John  C,  wounded  and  deaci. 
Tallant,  Patrick  A.,  killed,  Second  Ma- 
nassas. 

Tolleson,  AYilliam,  unknown. 
Vogel,    William   H.,    wounded,  Wilder- 
ness. 

Wilson,  Benjamin,  dead. 
Wilson,  William,  unknown. 
Walsh,  Thomas,  unknown. 
Wiggins,  Eugene,  dead. 


THE  peculiar  position  of  Maj.  Anderson 
in  Fort  Sumter  is  described  in  a  letter 
from  him  to  a  lady  correspondent  who 
had  written  to  him  on  the  5th  of  April, 
1S61,  expressing  her  sympathy  with  his 
position  and  deploring  the  fact  that  the 
Governmeiit  had  not  tendered  him  A'olun- 
tary  aid.  He  says:  "Justice  compels  me 
to  take  upon  myself  the  blame  of  the 
Government's  not  having-  sent  to  my  res- 
cue. Had  I  demanded  reinforcements 
while  Mr.  Holt  was  in  the  War  Depart- 
ment, I  know  that  he  would  have  dis- 
patched them  at  all  hazards.  I  did  not 
ask  them  because  I  knew  that  the  mo- 
ment it  should  be  known  here  that  addi- 
tional troops  were  coming,  they  would 
assa^ult  me  and  thus  inaugurate  civil 
war. 

"My  policy,  feeling— thanks  be  to  God- 
secure  for  the  present  in  my  stronghold, 
was  to  keep  still,  to  preserve  peace,  to 
give  time  for  the  quieting  of  the  excite- 
ment which  was  at  one  time  ver3'  high 
throughout  this  region,  in  the  hope  of 
avoiding  bloodshed.  There  is  now  a  pros- 
pect that  that  hope  will  be  realised;  that 


43 


the  separation  which  has  been  inevitable 
for  months  will  be  consummated  without 
the  shedding-  of  one  drop  of  blood.  The 
ladies,  then,  must  not  blame  the  latter 
part  of  Mr.  Buchanan's  administration, 
nor  the  present  one,  for  not  having  sent 
me  reinforcements.  I  demanded  them 
under  Mr.  Floyd.  The  tinie  when  they 
mig-ht  have  been  sent  has  passed  weeks 
ag-o;  and  I  must  ask  you  in  praising  me 
not  to  do  injustice  to  my  brother  offi- 
cers, a  vast  majority  of  whom  would, 
placed-  in  the  same  circumstances,  have 
acted  at  least  as  well  as  I  have  done." 


IT  WILL,  be  a  gi'atifying  announcement 
to  lovers  of  choice  literature  that  the 
poems  of  Henry  Timrod,  "the  poet  lau- 
reate of  the  South,"  as  he  was  aptly 
designated  by  Lord  Tennyson,  bid  fair 
to  be  reproduced  in  a  manner  worthy  of 
the  great  genius  of  the  author.  An  edi- 
tion published  years  ago  has  long  since 
been  exhausted,  and  it  is  safe  to  say 
that  wherever  a  copy  of  the  book  exists, 
it  is  regarded  as  a  library  gem.  Long- 
fellow, Whittier,  Bryant,  Holmes  and  all 
that  coterie  of  brilliant  writers  who  have 
added  fresh  lustre  to  American  letters, 
quickly  recognised  the  writings  of  Henry 
Timrod  as  the  work  of  a  mas'-er  hand, 
and  had  ho  lived  among  them,  his  grave 
would  not  now  be  marked  by  so  humble 
a  monument  that  it  is  almost  obscured 
by  the  shadows  of  its  neighbors. 

The  new  edition  will  be  published  for 
those  only  who  subscribe  five  dollars, 
payable  on  delivei\v;  but  it  will  still  be 
a  rare  work,  since  the  edition  will  be 
limited  and  the  name  of  every  subscriber 
will  be  printed  in  each  volume.  Natural- 
ly, in  view  of  the  price,  it  will  appear 
in  the  highest  style  oi  the  publisher's  art 
and  as  regards  paper  and  binding,  be 
intrinsically  worth  the  sum  paid.  In  an- 
other twenty  years,  following  the  ex- 
ample of  other  choice  books,  it  may  be 
worth  ten  times  the  amount. 

The  promoters  of  this  enterprise  em- 
brace a  number  of  influential  citizens  of 
Charleston,  among  whom  are  J.  C. 
Hemphill,  editor  of  the  News  and  Cou- 
rier, and  ex-Mayor  W.  Ashmead  Courte- 
nay,  and  their  sole  object  is  to  provide 
means  for  the  erection  of  a  handsome 


monument  that  in  some  suitable  public 
place  shall  endure  as  a  permanent  tribute 
to  the  memory  of  a  man  who  has  written 
the  grandest  lyrics  and  sung  the  sweet- 
est songs  of  the  South. 


IT  IS  long  since  the  incident  occurred, 
and  the  actors  in  it  have  crossed  the 
Great  Divide,  but  it  will  bear  repeating. 
Col.  Louis  T.  Wigfall  of  Texas,  who  im- 
mediately prior  to  the  war  was  a  United 
States  Senator,  had  the  reputation  of  be- 
ing a  bold,  impetuous  man  who  never 
minced  his  words  in  speaking  and  whose 
veneration  for  officials,  no  matter  what 
may  have  been  their  station,  generally 
stood  at  the  zero  point  in  his  social  ther- 
mometer. During  the  progress  of  the 
struggle,  it  was  at  one  time  feared  that 
for  certain  personal  reasons,  Mr.  Davis 
might  remove  Gen.  Beauregard  from 
command.  Meeting  the  former  on  one  oc- 
casion, Wigfall  said  to  him:  "I  hear,  Mr, 
President,  that  3"ou  talk  about  sending 
Beauregard  to  the  rear.  Don't  you  do  it! 
Let  him  alone  1  When  a  man  gets  to  be 
so  popular  that  the  men  of  the  country 
name  their  steamboats  and  the  women 
keep  him  in  the  family  by  naming  their 
babies  after  him,  don't  touch  him — keep 
your  hands  off!" 

Wigfall  was  also  ready  witted.  While 
en  route  across  the  country  to  his  home 
in  Texas,  he  fell  in  with  a  party  of 
LTnion  soldiers.  Without  his  uniform  he 
would  pass  anywhere  for  a  well-to-do 
planter,  and,  not  being  suspected  on  this 
occasion,  he  entered  freely  into  conver- 
sation with  them.  Nonchalantly  he  asked 
what  they  would  do  with  old  Wigfall  if 
they  should  catch  him.  "W^e'd  hang  him, 
sure,"  was  the  reply.  "Serve  the  rascal 
right!"  instantly  responded  Wigfall,  "and 
if  I  were  with  you,  I— I  rather  think  I 
might  be  pulling  at  one  end  of  the  rope 
mj'self." 


THE  STORY  of  the  Avar  will  never  be 
fully  told  until  we  get  the  details  from 
the  lips  and  pens  of  the  private  soldiers. 
Volume  after  volume  written  by  the  gen- 
eral officers  on  both  sides  have  made  us 
fairly  familiar  with  the  strategy  and  tac- 
tics of  the  struggle;  with  the  movements 


44 


of  divisions,  the  g-allantry  of  brig-ades  and 
the  brave  dash  of  regiments  and  battal- 
ions; but  of  the  individual  heroism  of 
the  men  in  the  ranks,  the  adventures  of 
the  scout,  the  encounters  on  the  skir- 
mish line,  the  life  on  picket  and  tne 
thousand  and  one  incTaents  tnat  the  boys 
liked  to  talk  about  around  the  camp- 
fire,  the  simple  narratives  are  too  few. 

Among  the  veterans  who  met  in  the 
recent  reunion  at  Richmond  was  one- 
only  an  humble  sergeant,  mark  you,  who 
fought  almost  breast  to  breast  with  the 
enemy  in  the  "Battle  of  the  Crater"  at 
Petersburg.  But  from  that  time  until 
ihe  present  he  has  made  that  one  battle 
a  study,  and  the  result  is  a  map  (now 
in  the  Confederate  Museum  at  Richmond) 
on  w^hich  is  indicated  every  gallery,  tra- 
verse, bomb-proof,  mine  and  counter- 
mine and  the  positions  of  batteries  and 
troops. 

When  he  went  over  the  field  with  sev- 
era.1  of  his  comrades,  even  the  owner  of 
the  farm  on  which  the  heat  of  battle 
was  the  hottest  was  unable  to  point  out 
more  than  the  salient  features  of  the  lo- 
cality, all  others  Jtiaving  been  obliterated 
by  the  changes  of  thirty  years.  With  the 
aid  of  the  map  in  question,  however,  the 
old  became  once  more  new,  memories 
were  revived,  errors  corrected  and  the 
actors  in  the  fight  w^ere  enabled  to  re- 
locate themselves  in  their  former  places. 
In  recalling  this  circumstance,  the  vet- 
eran sergeant  related  numerous  incidents 
connected  Avith  the  battle  that  came  un- 
der his  own  immediate  observation  and 
have  never  appeared  in  print. 

"Why  don't  you  put  this  storj-  on  paper 
for  the  benefit  of  historj-  and  the  pleas- 
ure of  your  children?"  inquired  the  writ- 
er. "Oh,  I'm  going  to  do  so  one  of  these 
days,"  was  the  reply.  "I've  got  it  all  in 
my  head,  and  when  I  have  time  I  mean 
to  write  it  out." 

That's  what's  the  matter,  old  soldiers; 
you  have  had  these  grand  reminiscences 
in  your  heads  for  thirty  years,  and  with 
careless  indifference  to  the  future  that  is 
almost  criminal,  you  are  permitting  them 
to  remain  there  untouched  and  unrecord- 
ed. You  are  getting  old,  tremulous  and 
forgetful.  "One  of  these  days"  may  not 
come  to  3-0U  until,  with  failing  voice  and 
shaking  limbs,  you  will  realise  it  has 
come   too  late — that   the   silver   cord  is 


already  loosened  and  the  golden  bowl  is 
broken. 

*  *  * 

HAS  IT  occurred  to  the  instructors  of 
the  youth  of  the  South  that  they  may  be 
largely  instrumental  in  presei'ving  much 
of  the  valuable  personal  history  connect- 
ed with  our  late  struggle  for  independ- 
ence? In  a  country  where  so  many  thou- 
sands of  households  furnish  themes  for 
"compositions"  in  the  stories  of  priva- 
tion or  adventure  that  are  told  around 
the  domestic  fireside  by  the  grandfath- 
ers and  grandmothers  who  still  survive, 
what  more  interesting  narratives  can  be 
Avritten  by  the  young  people  than  theirs? 
And  with  a  useful  object  in  view,  how 
eagerly  will  the  pupils  devote  themselves 
to  the  task  of  preserving  the  records 
that  no  one  else  has  written.  Home  sto- 
ries with  hearts  in  them  are  a  thousand 
times  more  eloquent  and  potent  than  cold 
essays,  and  the  boy  or  girl  who  can  tell 
them  in  a  simple  and  unconstrained  man- 
ner will  soon  learn  the  use  of  correct 
speech  in  all  the  affairs  of  life. 


FEW  serial  publications  are  more  wel- 
come in  Southern  households  than  the 
Confederate  Veteran,  printed  in  Nash- 
ville, Tenn.  Every  month  for  three  years 
it  has  kept  the  present  in  close  touch 
with  the  past.  Every  month  we  may 
read  some  familiar  and  long  unmentioned 
name:  every  month,  perhaps,  look  upon 
the  photograph  of  some  long  unseen  face. 
It  is  a  faithful  record  likewise  of  the  liv- 
ing and  the  dead,  who  in  their  da.y  and 
generation  were  among  the  heroes  and 
heroines  of  the  war.  The  choice  of  such 
a  work  as  the  organ  of  nearlj-  a  thou- 
sand Camps  of  Confederate  Veterans  and 
of  the  Sons  and  Daughters  of  Veterans, 
is  in  itself  a  distinguishing  mark  of 
merit.  May  ils  fiag  remain  long  un- 
furled. 


DURING  the  construction  of  the  Iron 
Battery  on  Cumming's  Point,  Gen.  Jami- 
son, accompanied  by  ex-Gov.  Allston  and 
William  Gilmore  Simms.  its  designer, 
A-isited  the  spot,  when  Goa'.  A.  remarked 
that  he  would  not  care  to  trust  himself 


45 


behind  such  a  curious  defence— that  it 
could  not  possibly  be  safe.  The  distin- 
g-uished  author  quickly  demonstrated  the 
dilference  between  the  wooden  walls  of  a 
frigate  or  the  upright  stone  walls  of  a 
fort  and  the  iron-plated  incline  of  a  wall 
at  an  ang-le  of  forty-five  degrees  and 
more  than  twelve  inches  thick.  It  is  of 
course  now  known  that  this  nondescript 
fortification  became  the  model  of  the  de- 
fences on  the  Merrimac  and  other  Con- 
federate ironclads,  and  has  since  led  to 
a  reA'olution  in  naval  architecture,  but 
few  persons  are  aware  that  its  inventor 
was  the  disting-uished  Southern  novelist. 


IT  IS  due  to  the  memory  of  Maj.  An- 
derson to  publish  a  portion  of  the  letter 
which  he  wrote  on  the  29th  of  December, 
1860,  to  his  most  intimate  friend  in 
Charleston,  Hon.  Robert  N.  Gourdin.  It 
is  dated  from  Fort  Sumter.  After  relat- 
ing- the  circumstances  of  the  removal  of 
the  g-arrison  from  Fort  Moultrie,  'he  says : 

"I  reg-ret  that  the  Governor  has  deemed 
it  proper  to  treat  us  as  enemies  by  cut- 
ting off  our  communication  with  the  city 
and  permitting  me  only  to  send  for  the 
mails.  Now  this  is  annoying-  and  I  re- 
g-ret it.  I  can  do  without  g-oing-  to  the 
city,  as  I  have  supplies  of  all  kinds  to 
last  my  command  five  months,  bu.t  it 
Vv^ould  add  to  our  comfort  to  be  enabled 
to  make  purchases  of  fresh  meats  and  so 
on,  and  to  shop  in  the  city. 

"The  Governor  does  not  know  how  en- 
tirely the  commerce  and  intercourse  of 
Charleston  by  sea  are  in  my  power.  I 
could,  if  so  disposed,  annoy  and  embar- 
rass the  Charlestonians  much  more  than 
they  can  me.  With  my  guns  I  can  close 
the  harbor  completely  to  the  access  of 
all  large  vessels  and  I  might  even  cut  off 
the  lights  so  as  to  seal  the  approach  en- 
tirely by  night.  I  do  hope  that  nothing- 
will  occur  to  add  to  the  excitement  and 
bad  feeling  that  exists  in  the  city.  No 
one  has  a  right  to  be  angry  with  me  for 
my  action.  No  one  could  tell  what  he 
would  have  done  unless  in  the  same  tight 
place.  I  know  that  if  my  action  was 
properly  explained  to  the  people  of 
Charleston,  they  would  not  feel  any  ex- 
citement against  me  or  my  command." 


THE  Muse  of  History  will  not  be  cheat- 
ed of  her  pr^rog-atives.  In  order  to  learn 
definitely  who  was  the  actual  author  of 
the  Ordinance  of  Secession  of  South  Car- 
olina, and  thus  settle  a  mooted  point 
among-  the  Daug-hters  of  the  Confed- 
eracy, among-  whom  she  is  a  distin- 
guished member,  Mrs.  W.  C.  McGowan 
of  Abbeville,  S.  C,  recently  wrote  a  let- 
ter of  inquiry  on  the  subject  to  Chief 
Justice  Mclver  of  this  State,  who  was 
one  of  the  Committee  of  Five  appointed 
to  draft  that  famous  instrument.  His 
reply  states:  "There  is  no  doubt  that 
Chancellor  Francis  H.  Wardlaw  prepared 
the  draft  of  the  Ordinance  of  Secession, 
which  is  a  model  of  simplicity,  brevity 
and  clearness.  The  fact  is  known  lo  me 
personally  and  has  been  mentioned  to 
me  more  than  once  by  Chancellor  John 
A.  Ing-lis,  who  is  supposed  by  some  to 
have  been  the  author  of  that  Ordi- 
nance." Chancellor  Ing-lis  was  the 
Chairman  of  the  Committee  to  which 
were  submitted  the  various  drafts  by 
members  of  the  Convention,  but  the  one 
prepared  by  Chancellor  Wardlaw  was  se- 
lected as  the  best,  and,  being-  reported 
to  the  Convention,  was  adopted  without 
change." 


READERS  of  the  present  number  of 
"Army  Letters"  will  be  attracted  by  the 
unique  and  artistic  design  on  the  cover. 
It  will  probably  acquire  additional  inter- 
est from  the  fact  that  it  was  prepared 
by  a  Confederate  veteran.  Major  Alex.  Y. 
Lee,  now  one  of  the  leading-  architects 
a  nd  consulting-  eng-ineers  of  Pittsburg, 
Pa.,  and  engag-ed  in  the  construction  of 
the  National  University  at  Girard,  Pa.  A 
graduate  of  the  Citadel  Academy  of 
Charleston,  he  was  for  a  long-  time  Ad- 
jutant of  the  Palmetto  Battalion  of 
Light  Artillery  and  finally  transferred  to 
the  engineer  corps.  His  old  comrades 
will  doubtless  be  g-lad  to  learn  that  his 
lines  have  fallen  in  pleasant  places. 
*  *  * 

THE  FOLLOWING  incident  may  be 
aptly  termed  "The  Tale  of  a  Towel,"  that 
useful  article,  in  the  absence  of  any 
other,  being-  employed  as  the  flag:  of 
truce  under  which  negotiations  were  be- 
gun  that  resulted  in  the  cessation  of  fir- 


46 


ing-  and  the  final  surrender  at  Appo- 
matox,  The  bearer  of  the  flag  was  Major 
Robert  M.  Sims  of  Long-street's  staff, 
subsequently  the  Secretary  of  State  of 
South  Carolina  and  now  the  representa- 
tive of  this  publication. 

The  circumstances  related  by  him  are 
as  follows:  Gen.  Lee's  army  arrived  at 
or  near  Appomatox  C.  on  the  evening 
of  April  8,  1865.  Gary's  Cavalry  Brigade 
and  some  other  mounted  troops  already 
had  been  in  sharp  encounter  with  the 
Federal  cavalry  at  the  railroad  depot, 
but  without  definite  result.  Our  forces 
were  so  disposed  that  night  and  very 
early  the  next  morning  as  to  throw  Gor- 
don's corps  in  front  with  a  view  to  an 
attack  at  daylight  and  the  opening  of  the 
way  for  the  further  advance  and  pro- 
gress of  the  main  army  under  Gen.  Long- 
street,  which  had  been  placed  in  line 
across  the  road  upon  which  it  had 
marched  and  upon  which  Gen.  Grant  was 
rapidly  approaching. 

As  had  been  agreed  upon,  Gen.  Gordon 
attacked  the  enemy  soon  after  sunrise, 
but  was  quickly  overwhelmed  by  infant- 
ry and  cavalry  in  front  and  on  his  flanks. 
Several  applications  were  made  to  Long- 
street  for  reinforcements  which  the  lat- 
ter could  not  give.  Thereupon,  Longstreet 
sent  Major  Sims  to  say  to  Gordon  that  if 
he  thought  proper  under  the  circum- 
stances, he  could  send  a  flag  of  truce  to 
Gen.  Sheridan,  then  in  his  front,  and  ask 
for  a  suspension  of  hostilities  u-ntil  Gen. 
Lee  could  be  heard  from,  the  latter  hav- 
ing gone  down  the  road  to  meet  Gen. 
Grant. 

Gen.  Gordon  having  no  staff  imme- 
diately available,  Major  Sims  at  his  re- 
quest rode  over  to  the  enemy's  lines:  but 
he  bore  as  queer  a  flag  of  truce  as  ever 
convej^ed  a  message  across  a  field  of  bat- 
tle. It  was  an  ordinary  crash  towel  that 
he  happened  to  have  in  his  haversack 
and  for  which  he  had  paid  forty  dollars 
in  Richmond,  only  a  few  weeks  before. 
Gen.  Custer,  who  received  the  message, 
was  anything  but  gracious  and  curtly 
told  Major  Sims  that  he  would  listen  to 
nothing  but  an  unconditional  surrender. 
The  Major  thereupon  returned  accom- 
panied by  a  Federal  staff  officer  and 
made  his  report.  The  incidents  that  fol- 
lowed are  matters  of  history. 


That  towel,  however,  has  become  a 
relic.  After  serving  various  purposes 
other  than  those  for  which  it  was  orig- 
inally intended,  it  passed  into  the  hands 
of  an  officer  of  Custer's  staff  by  whom 
it  was  presented  to  Mrs.  Custer,  who,  it 
is  said,  cut  it  in  two  pieces  and  still  re- 
tains one  half;'  a  memento  of  one  of  the 
proudest  daj^s  in  her  husband's  life,  and 
equallj^  the  saddest  day  in  the  history  of 
every  "ragged  reb"  who  fought  with  Lee, 
The  remaining  half  is  supposed  to  be  in 
the  possession  of  Lieut.  Col.  Whittaker, 
at  that  time  an  officer  on  Custer's  staff. 


IN  THESE  days  of  memorials,  monu- 
mental buildings  and  the  unveiling  of 
statues  that  celebrate  our  near-by  he- 
roes, is  it  not  worth  while  to  consider  the 
part  performed  by  the  women  patriots 
of  the  Southern  Confederacy  and  bestow 
also  upon  them  some  recognition  of  the 
magnificent  services  they  rendered  in  the 
hour  of  our  travail? 

Did  woman  ever  undergo  hardship  with 
more  unmurmuring  fortitude  than  the 
delicately  reared  mothers,  wives  and 
daughters  of  the  South  at  that  time? 

Was  the  Spartan  matron  of  old  mora 
heroic  than  she  who  in  those  later  days 
of  heroism,  buckled  on  the  equipments  of 
husband,  son  and  father,  and  with  pray- 
erful faith  sent  her  loved  ones  forth  to 
battle  for  their  country  and  their  homes? 

Is  there  not  something  sublime  in  the 
sacrifices  made  by  Southern  women  who, 
while  suffering  at  home,  encouraged  their 
kindred  in  the  field,  and  when  that  field 
ran  wet  with  the  blood  of  the  men  of  the 
South,  went  tnemselves  to  the  front  in 
order  that  their  gentle  hands  might  as- 
suage the  pain  of  wounds,  or  sympathise 
in  the  agony  of  dissolution? 

The  story  of  these  women,  never  yet 
has  been  written — probably  never  will  be 
in  all  its  depth  and  breadth.  But  why 
should  not  a  granite  shaft,  a  memorial 
home  or  hospital  somewhere  perpetuate 
their  memorj'?  Why  should  not  the  vet- 
erans and  sons  and  daughters  of  vete- 
rans signalise  by  some  monumental  trib- 
ute the  heroic  record  of  these  matrons  of 
the  South  and  the  love  they  bore  their 
land? 

Let  us  get  together  and  raise  the  fund 


4/ 


necessary.  Make  it  a  ten  cent  subscrip- 
tion, so  tliat  it  will  be  within  the  power 
of  every  one  to  contribute.  Let  even  the 
children  work  by  organising  five  cent 
clubs  and  turning  over  their  income  to 
the  local  committee  that  may  be  appoint- 
ed for  the  purpose,  and  so  honor  the 
memory  of  their  mothers  and  grand- 
mothers who  gave  to  the  cause  as  much 
of  heroism  and  sacrifice,  as  much  of 
patriotic  devotion,  as  the  soldiers  who 
faced  the  cannon's  mouth  or  the  bay- 
onet's point. 


HENRY  WATTERSON,  now  the  bril- 
liant editor  of  the  Louisville  Courier 
Journal,  was  in  war  times  equally  bril- 
liant as  the  editor  of  one  of  the  liveliest 
sheets  printed  in  the  Confederacy.  Known 
as  the  "Chattanooga  Rebel,"  it  was  al- 
ways welcomed  alike  in  the  camp  and 
tlie  sanctum.  Nearly  every  issue  con- 
tained an  item  worth  repeating.  Here  is 
a  sample: 

"Pat  dreamed  that  the  spirit  of  Stone- 
wall Jackson  knocked  at  the  gates  of 
Paradise. 

"Who  comes  there?"  inquired  the  good 
St.  Peter. 
"  'Jackson!'  was  the  reply. 
"  'AVhat  Jackson?' 
"  'Stonevv-all!' 

"  'Come  right  in,  sir.  ye  needn't  stop 
for  purgatory;  take  a  front  seat;  I  know 
yer.'  " 

*  -■!■•  * 

WHILE  Watterson  was  in  Atlanta,  the 
Federals  shelled  the  town  severely  and 
people  got  out  of  range  as  fast  as  their 
legs  could  carry  them.  Watterson  was 
among  the  number.  One  of  his  Kentucky 
friends  observing  that  he  was  making  a 
bee  line  for  the  quarters  of  John  S. 
Thrasher,  the  associated  press  agent  of 
the  Confederacy,  who  was  then  living  on 
the  outer  edge  of  the  town,  called  oat  to 
him,  "Why  Harry,  whar  you  goin'  in 
sech  a  hurry?  T  thought  you  was  a 
aide  de  camp." 

"So  I  was,"  shouted  back  the  witty  ed- 
itor quick  as  a  flash,  "but  right  now,  I'm 
aide-decamper." 

The  truth  is,  he  was  carrjnng  an  order 
to  a  distant  detachment  from  Gen.  Hood, 


on  whose  staif  he  was  temporarily  serv- 
ing. There  was  no  cooler  man  in  the 
army  when  facing  danger,  than  this  self 
same  Henry  Watterson,  though  he  was 
"only  a  newspaper  man." 


FEW  PERSONS  of  the  present  genera- 
tion can  realise  how  thoroughly  the 
spirit  of  '76,  permeated  the  South  in  1861- 
65.  From  our  "Army  Note-Book,"  pub- 
lished at  the  time,  we  copy  the  following 
incidents  by  way  of  illustration: 

"Mr.  James  Argo,  of  Pulaski  County, 
Georgia,  has  fourteen  sons  and  sons-in-  i 
law  in  the  ranks  of  the  Pulaski  Volun-  \ 
teers.    The  old  gentleman  himself  was  a  j 
soldier  in  the  war  of  1812,  and  stationed 
at  Norfolk,  Va. 

Gen.  Joseph  Graham  of  Lincoln  County, 
North  Carolina,  has  left  a  name  renown- 
ed in  history  as  a  revolutionary  hero.  His  . 
mantle  has  fallen  on  his  descendants. 
His  youngest  son,  ex-Governor  William 
A.  Graham,  has  five  sons  in  the  army. 
His  sister,  the  youngest  daughter  of  Gen. 
Graham,  and  the  wife  of  Rev.  Robert  H. 
Morrison,  has  two  sons  and  four  sons-in- 
lav/  in  the  service. 

The  Shuler  family,  originally  from 
Orangeburg  District,  South  Carolina,  ex- 
hibit a  representation  of  fifty-one  names 
in  the  Confederate  service.  The  Easter- 
ling  family  have  in  the  Confederate  ser- 
vice sixty-three  representatives,  all  hail- 
ing from  South  Carolina. 

In  Cleveland  County,  North  Carolina, 
Mrs.  Hamrick,  a  widow,  has  but  seven 
children,  all  sons.  At  the  first  call  of  her 
State,  the  noble  mother  contributed  six 
to  the  field,  and  she  would  devote  the 
seventh  but  that  he  is  too  small  to 
shoulder  a  gun." 


A  CORRESPONDENT  writes:  "A  sol- 
dier who  had  the  good  luck  to  obtain  a 
leave  of  absence  to  visit  North  Carolina, 
telegraphed  Gen.  Bragg,  then  command- 
ing the  Army  of  Tennessee,  that  he  had 
been  married  a  week  and  desired  an  ex- 
ten  tion  of  his  furlough.  In  the  course  of 
the  day,  the  lover  was  delighted  with  the 
following  response: 

"Your  leave  is  extended  for  thirtj'  days. 


48 


I  refer  you  to  Deuteronomy,  20th  chapter, 
7th  verse,  and  24th  chapter,  5th  verse.' 

"The  Bible  was  called  into  requisition, 
and  upon  reference  the  following-  quota- 
tions were  developed. 

"  'And  what  man  is  there  that  hath  be- 
trothed a  wife  and  hath  not  taken  her? 
Let  him  go  and  return  unto  his  house, 
lest  he  die  in  the  battle  and  another  man 
take  her.'   Deut.  20,  7v. 

The  second  reference  disclosed: 
"  'When  a  man  hath  taken  a  new  wife, 
he  shall  not  go  to  war,  neither  shall  he 
be  charged  with  any  business;  but  he 
shall  be  free  at  home  one  year  and  shall 
cheer  up  his  wife  which  he  has  taken.' 
Deut.  24:  5v." 

*  *  * 

THE  Chattanoog-a  R.ebel  always  had  a 
fund  of  camp  stories.  Here  is  one  of 
them: 

"At  the  battle  of  Murfreesboro,  the 
Yankees  captured  a  young-  rebel  who 
wore  a  g-unnj'-bag  with  a  hole  in  it  for 
a  shirt.  'Couldn't  your  g-overnment  af- 
ford to  give  you  a  shirt?'  said  his  captor? 
'Shirt,  the  d— 1,'  indignantlj*  replied  he  of 
the  gunny-bag,  'do  you  expect  a  man  to 
have  a  thousand  shirts?'  " 


WHEN  OXE  remembers  how  much  the 
fathers  and  mothers  of  the  Confederacy 
were  called  on  to  endure  in  the  four 
years  of  war— trials  that  could  not  be  de- 
scribed in  a  thousand  volumes,  it  is  not 
a  wonder  that  the  Sons  and  Daughters 
revere  their  memories  and  are  proud  of 
their  birthright.  Rev.  Peyton  Harrison 
was  a  patriotic  minister  of  Cumberland 
County,  Aarginia.  At  Manassas,  one  of 
his  boys,  the  flower  of  the  flock,  fell  at 
the  head  of  his  company.  The  old  man 
bowed  his  head  to  the  stroke  and  said. 
"God's  will  be  done:  '  At  Fort  Donel- 
5on,  another  son.  Rev.  and  Capt.  Dab- 
ney  Carr  Harrison,  a  joint  heir  with  his 
brother  Pej-ton,  to  their  father's  love, 
fell  while  gallantly  leading  his  men  in 
defence  of  that  position.  Closely  follow- 
ing this  bereavement,  the  father  received 
news  that  his  daughter  had  succumbed 
to  grief  at  the  loss  of  her  brothers  and 
breathed  her  last  at  Brandon,  on  James 
River.    But  the  old  man  still  evinced  the 


undying  spirit  of  the  true  patriot.  When 
sympathised  with,  he  exclaimed:  "I  have 
two  more  sons  left  to  devote  to  our 
cause;  if,  in  the  providence  of  the  Al- 
mightj-,  they  too  are  taken,  I  will 
shoulder  a  musket  myself." 

*  *  * 

WHILE  Capt.  Stephen  D.  Lee,  Roger 
A.  Pryor  and  W.  Porcher  Miles,  aides  of 
Gen.  Beauregard,  were  in  Fort  Sumter 
arranging  the  terms  of  its  capitulation, 
an  incident  occurred  which  is  thus  re- 
corded by  the  surgeon  of  the  garrison, 
afterward  Gen.  S.  W.  Crawford: 

'"The  aides  of  the  Confederate  General 
had  been  introduced  into  the  only  case- 
mate that  was  habitable  and  w^hich  was 
occupied  as  quarters  by  Capt.  Foster  and 
the  surgeon  of  the  fort.  Col.  Roger  A. 
Pryor,  one  of  the  aides,  had  taken  his 
seat  near  a  table  at  the  he^d  of  the  camp 
bed  occupied  by  the  surgeon.  The  latter 
had  been  seriously  ill  and  was  under  the 
course  of  a  strong  medicine  that  stood 
in  a  large  bottle  upon  the  table.  With- 
out reflection,  Col.  Pryor  poured  out  a 
large  portion  of  the  medicine  and  drank 
it.  Discovering  his  mistake,  he  appealed 
at  once  to  Maj.  Anderson,  who,  in  an  an- 
gle of  the  casemate,  was  writing  down 
the  terms  upon  which  he  would  agree  to 
evacuate  the  work.  The  surgeon  was  at 
once  sent  for,  when  Col.  Pryor  rapidly 
recounted  the  circumstances.  The  sur- 
geon said  to  him:  "If  you  have  taken 
the  amount  of  that  solution  you  thmk 
you  have,  you  have  likely  poisoned  your- 
self.' "Do  something  for  me,  doctor, 
right  off,'  he  said,  'for  I  would  not  have 
anj-thing  happen  to  me  in  this  fort  for 
any  consideration.'  The  surgeon  took 
him  to  his  improvised  dispensary  down 
the  line  of  casemates,  where  he  was 
shortly  after  relieved  and  returned  to 
the  city." 


IX  THE  YEAR  1S34,  M.  Michael  Chev- 
alier, the  distinguished  political  econo- 
mist of  France,  was  sent  to  the  United 
States  by  M.  Theirs,  then  Minister  of  the 
Interior,  speciallj^  commissioned  to  in- 
spect the  public  works  of  the  country. 
Extending  his  sojourn  and  enlarging  the 
scope  of  his  observations,  he  spent  two 


49 


years  in  visiting-  all  parts  of  the  Union 
and  studying  the  characteristics  of  its 
social  organizations  and  the  working  of 
its  political  machinery.  His  observations 
and  impressions  were  published  in  a 
series  of  letters  which  were  deemed  of 
sufficient  value  to  justify  their  transfer 
to  a  book.  As  the  book  is  not  now  of 
easy  access,  we  make  from  one  of  his 
letters,  written  from  Charleston,  May  23, 
1S34,  the  following  extract,  showing  the 
manner  in  which  he  viewed  the  people 
of  the  South  at  that  time. 

"The  Southerner  of  pure  race  is  frank, 
hearty,  open,  cordial  in  his  manners, 
noble  in  his  sentiments,  elevated  in  his 
notions.  He  is  a  worthy  descendant  of 
the  English  gentleman.  Surrounded  from 
infancy  by  his  slaves  to  relieve  him  from 
all  personal  exertion,  he  is  rather  indis- 
posed to  activity  and  is  even  indolent. 
He  is  generous  and  profuse.  The  prac- 
tice of  hospitality  is  to  him  at  once  a 
duty,  a  pleasure  and  a  happiness.  Like 
the  Eastern  patriarchs,  or  Homer's  he- 
roes, he  spits  an  ox  to  regale  the  guest 
whom  Providence  sends  him  and  an  old 
friend  recommends  to  his  attention;  and 
to  moisten  this  repast,  he  offers  Ma- 
deira— of  which  he  is  as  proud  as  of  his 
horses— that  has  been  twice  to  the  East 
Indies  and  has  been  ripening  full  twenty 
years. 

He  loves  the  institutions  of  his  country, 
yet  he  shows  with  pride  his  family  plate, 
the  arms  on  which,  half  effaced  by  time, 
attest  his  descent  from  the  first  colonists 
and  prove  that  his  ancestors  were  of  a 
good  family  in  England.  When  his  mind 
has  been  cultivated  by  study,  and  a  tour 
in  Europe  has  polished  his  manners  and 
refined  his  imagination,  there  is  no  place 
in  the  world  in  which  he  would  not  ap- 
pear to  adva,ntage,  no  destiny  too  high 
for  him  to  reach.  He  is  one  of  those 
whom  a  man  is  glad  to  nave  as  a  com- 
panion and  desires  as  a  friend. 

Ardent  and  warm-hearted,  he  is  of  the 
block  from  which  great  orators  are 
made.  He  is  better  able  to  command  men 
than  to  conquer  nature  and  subdue  the 
soil.  When  he  has  a  certain  degree  of 
the  spirit  of  method,  and  I  will  not  say 
will— for  he  has  enough  of  that— but  of 
that  active  perseverance  so  common  at 
the  North,  he  has  all  the  qualities  need- 
ful to  form  a  great  statesman." 


WHEN  the  stoppage  of  the  mails  for 
Fort  Sumter  was  determined  upon  and 
Anderson  was  so  informed.  Judge  Ma- 
grath  was  sent  to  Postmaster  Huger  to 
notify  him  of  the  fact,  and  a  staff  offi- 
cer was  sent  on  the  9th  of  April  to  de- 
mand their  delivery  to  him  in  the  name 
of  the  Governor.  The  bag  containing 
Maj.  Anderson's  mail  was  handed  to  him 
and  taken  to  headquarters.  It  was  there 
thrown  upon  the  table  around  which  sat 
the  Governor's  a.dvisers,  including  the 
Governor  himself  and  Gen.  Beauregard. 

It  was  opened  and  passed  over  to  Judge 
Magrath  to  examine.  This  he  declined,- 
saying:  "No,  I  have  too  recently  been  a 
United  States  Judge  and  have  been  in 
the  habit  of  sentencing  people  to  the  pen- 
itentiary for  this  sort  of  thing.  So,  Gov- 
ernor, let  Gen.  Beauregard  open  them." 
Gen.  Beauregard  replied:  "Certainly  not; 
Governor,  you  are  the  proper  person  to 
open  these  letters."  Governor  Pickens 
then  took  up  one  of  the  letters  in  an 
official  envelope  and  turned  it  over  ner- 
vously, saying;  "Well,  if  you  are  all  so 
fastidious  about  it,  give  them  to  me." 

He  held  the  letter  some  time,  when 
Judge  Magrath  said:  "Go  ahead,  Gov- 
ernor, open  it."  The  Governor  then  tore 
open  the  letter  so  nervously  as  almost  to 
destroy  it.  Nothing  but  the  official  mail 
was  opened.  Private  letters  were  not 
disturbed,  but  sent  to  their  destination. 

It  was  this  mail  that  revealed  the  pur- 
pose of  the  visit  of  Capt.  Fox  to  Maj. 
Anderson.  He  had  gone  there  under  a 
pledge  of  honor,  but  had  actually  report- 
ed, a  pian  for  the  reinforcement  of  th^ 
garrison  by  force,  against  which  Maj. 
Anderson  had  protested. 


THERE  is  one  class  of  readers  whos- 
eyes  v/ill  rest  upon  these  notes  to  whom 
we  desire  to  make  a  special  bow — the  Ad- 
vertisers. They  have  only  to  look  ovei" 
the  fair  pages  of  our  Magazine  to  be  im- 
pressed by  the  fact  that  from  the  very 
nature  of  its  contents,  it  is  likely  to  find 
an  abiding  place  on  the  library  table  of 
every  Southern  home.  It  is  not  less  pro!  - 
able  that  thousands  of  Northern  people 
curious  to  learn  what  transpired  behind 
the  wall  that  separated  the  twO'  sections 
of  the  country^  will  equally  welcome  its 
monthly    appearance.     Hence,  what  i? 


50 


written  herein  will  naturally  have  a 
wide  and  permanent  circulation.  Let  all 
advertisers,  therefore,  remember  these 
simple  maxims: 

A  good  advertisement  always  brings  in 
more  than  it  takes  out. 

An  advertisement  doesn't  knock  off 
work  when  the  store  is  closed. 

Persistent  advertising  is  the  corner- 
stone of  success. 

No  advertisements  are  bad,  but  some 
advertisements  are  better  than  others. 

When  a  wise  woman  has  money  to 
spend  she  consults  the  advertising  col- 
umns of  the  newspapers  and  afterward 
consults  her  husband. 

Advertising  is  a  plaster  which  mer- 
chants put  on  the  world  to  draw  business 
out  of  it. 

Advertisements  are  like  birds— it  isn't 
always  those  that  have  the  finest  feath- 
ers that  are  the  best  singers. 

An  advertisement  is  the  only  perpetual 
motion  yet  discovered. 

A  lazy  business  man  need  never  expect 
to  get  any  rest  by  advertising  for  it. 

Advertising  is  the  best  fertiliser  for  the 
soil  of  business. 


REFERENCE  has  been  made  in  the 
preceding  pages  to  Commander,  after- 
wards Admiral  Raphael  Semmes.  On  re- 
ceiving his  commission  in  the  Confeder- 
ate Navy  in  February,  1861,  he  was  or- 
dered to  the  North  to  procure  war  ma- 
terial and  vessels  suitable  for  cruisers. 
Even  at  that  early  day,  it  was  he  who 
impressed  upon  Mr.  Davis  the  importance 
of  an  active  fleet  of  vessels  capable  of 
preying  on  the  immense  commerce  of  the 
enemy. 

Unable  to  find  a  desirable  ship  in  the 
mercantile  marine  of  the  North,  Semmes 
proceeded  to  New  Orleans.  There  he 
found  the  steamer  Habana,  a  packet  en- 
gaged in  the  Havana  and  New  Orleans 


trade,  purchased  and  fitted  her  out  as  a 
man  of  war,  carving  with  his  own  hands, 
in  the  manner  described,  the  seal  attach- 
ed to  her  commission,  and  under  the 
name  of  the  Confederate  States  steamer 
Sumter,  began  the  warfare  on  the  sea 
that  subsequently  made  his  name 
famous.  After  running  the  blockade  at 
New  Orleans,  and  a  chase  by  the  U.  S. 
Steamer  Brooklyn,  for  forty  miles  off  the 
coast,  the  Sumter's  cruise  lasted  from 
June  30,  1861,  to  January  18,  1862,  in  which 
brief  time,  she  made  eighteen  captures 
and  fully  demonstrated  the  wisdom  of 
the  move. 

The  Sumter  being  condemned  as  unsea- 
worthy  by  a  board  of  survey  at  Gibral- 
ter,  most  of  her  officers  were  ordered  to 
report  for  duty  on  the  "290,"  or  as  she 
was  afterwards  known,  the  Alabama. 

*  *  * 

THE  ALABAMA'S  actual  destructive- 
ness  to  the  commerce  of  the  enemy,  is 
graphically  described  in  a  work  written 
by  Lieut.  Arthur  Sinclair,  one  of  her  of- 
ficers, entitled,  "Two  Tears  on  the  Ala- 
bama," the  second  edition  of  which  has 
appeared  during  the  present  year.  He 
says  that  "fifty-seven  vessels  of  all  sorts 
were  burned,  the  value  as  estimated  by 
the  Geneva  award,  being  $6,750,000,  but 
that  this  is  out  of  all  proportion  to  the 
actual  number  of  her  captures  or  their 
money  value.  A  large  number  were  re- 
leased on  ransom-bond,  having  neutral 
cargo  and  hundreds  of  neutrals  were 
brought  to  and  examined." 

In  the  two  years  of  her  cruise,  the  Ala- 
bama sailed  seventy-five  thousand  miles, 
or  thrice  the  distance  around  the  globe, 
everywhere  setting  her  pursuers  at  defi- 
ance and  accomplishing  to  the  letter  the 
mission  upon  which  she  was  sent. 
Further  reference  will  be  made  to  her 
wonderful  history  hereafter. 


51 


AGENTS  WANTED. 


An  active  representative  of  this  Magazine  is  wanted  in 
every  city  and  town.  The  commissions  are  ample,  the  re- 
turns monthly.  Active  men  or  women  should  make  from 
six  to  twelve  hundred  dollars  a  year,  with  no  other  outlay 
than  the  price  of  a  single  copy.  The  large  cities  through- 
out the  South  are  unoccupied  fields  and  handsome  incomes 
await  the  early  harvesters.  Address 

WAR  EECOEB  PUBLISHING  COMPAHY, 

Columbia,  S.  C. 


The  State, 


Daily, 

Sunday  and 
Senii=  Weekly, 


Columbia, 

s.  a 


A  Newspaper 

For  ttie  Merchant, 
Ttie  Farmer, 
Ttie  Student, 


For  All  People 


The  Workman, 

Who  wish  to  be  in  touch  with  everybody  and  everything. 

Published  by  THE  STATE  COMPANY,  General  Printers, 

BOOKS,  BRIEFS,  WEDDING  and  BALL  INVITATIONS, 

ARTISTIC  PRINTING  OF  EVERY  DESCRIPTION, 


Vol.  I.  No.  2, 


1861 


Issued 


ONE  DOLLAR 
A  YEAR. 


1865 


nonthly 


TEN  CENTS 
A  COPY. 


"PERSONNE." 


(F.  G.  de  FONTAINE, 

War  Ccrrespondent,  &c.) 


War  Record  Publishing  Company, 

COLUMBIA,  5.  C. 
1897. 


COLUMBIA,  S.  C, 
THE  STATE  CO.  PRINTERS. 
1897. 


TABLE  OF  CONTENTS. 


VIRGINIA  AND  TENNESSEE  OUT  OF  THE  UNION. 

LINCOLN'S  CALL  FOR  75-0O0  TROOPS.  AND  THE 
manner  in  which  it  was  received  by  the  different  States. 

APPROPRIATION  BY  NORTHERN  STATES. 

THE  PROCLA^IATION  ADDS  STRENGTH  TO  THE 
Confederacy. 

PRESIDENT  DAVIS  CALLS  FOR  32.000  VOLUNTEERS. 
Alabama,  \'irginia.  Georgia.  South  CaroHna.  ^Mississippi.  Florida  and 
Louisiana  respond. 

BLOCKADE  OF  SOUTHERN  PORTS  AND  :\IAIL 
stopped. 

SCENES  V'HICH  TRANSPIRED  ON  THE  DEPARTURE 
of  the  A'olunteers. 

V'HOLE  FAVILIES  JOIN  THE  AR^IY.  : 

BOYS  for:\I  co:\Ipanies. 

THREE  HUNDRED  NEGROES  OFFER  TO  FIGHT  UN- 
der  white  officers. 

^lEN  OF  WEALTH  CONTRIBUTE  LARGELY  OF  THEIR 
means. 

PROPOSAL  OF  A  LOAN  OF  FIVE  BULLIONS  OF  DOL- 
lars  by  Provisional  Congress  answered  by  a  subscription  of  eight  mil- 
lions at  par. 

THE  PURCHASE  OF  COTTON  AND  SHIPS  URGED  BY 
the  government.  Our  sins  of  omission  in  this  respect.  Excitement 
in  New  York  and  Vashington.  ]\Ioney  pouring  in  for  the  Federal 
government.    Riot  in  Baltimore. 

FIRST  BLOOD  SHED  19TH  APRIL.  1861. 

GENERAL  SCOTT  SENDS  30.000  MEN  TO  BALTIMORE. 
Burning  of  the  Norfolk  Navy  Yard.    \'irginians  take  possession. 

THE  CONFEDERATES  TAKE  POSSESSION  OF  HAR- 
per's  Ferry.    Fortress  ]\Ionroe  threatened. 

APPREHENSION  IN  WASHINGTON. 

PEN  PICTURES  OF  PRESIDENT  DAVIS  AND  CABINET 
in  ^Montgomery.  Presidential  ^Mansion.  Characteristics  of  the  South- 
ern Volunteers.    ^Motley  uniforms  of  A'olunteers. 

VALUE  OF  GEN.  LEE  TO  THE  CONFEDERACY.  RICH- 
mond  a  vast  military  camp,    florals  of  the  Northern  army. 

DESCRIPTION  OF  MANASSAS  JUNCTION.  -THE  POW- 
hattan  and  Black  Horse  Cavalry  and  the  Grayson  Dare  Devils. 

DESCRIPTION  OF  HARPER'S  FERRY. 

LACK  OF  DISCIPLINE  A^IONG  TROOPS.  CONTRA- 
band  goods. 

THE  GUARD  HOUSE.  THE  PLACE  OF  JOHN  BROWN'S 
defense. 


P2.  1  r  40 


MRS.  BRADLEY  T.  JOHNSON  OF  MARYLAND  BRINGS 
500  Mississippi  rifles,  cartridges  and  money  into  the  Confederacy. 

ELLSWORTH  PULLS  DOWN  THE  CONFEDERATE 
flag  and  pays  the  penahy  with  his  Hfe.    Jackson  killed. 

FIRST  FIGHT  BETWEEN  LAND  BATTERIES  AND  FED- 
eral  steamers. 

ARRIVAL  OF  BEAUREGARD. 

REMOVAL  OF  SEAT  OF  GOVERNMENT  FROM  MONT- 
gomery  to  Richmond. 

DISAFFECTION  OF  Vv^EST  VIRGINIA. 

BATTLE  OF  BETHEL.  INSTANCES  OF  DARING. 
Bravery  of  North  Carolinians. 

GOOD  FIGHTING  AND  PERSONAL  BRAVERY  AMONG 
the  enemy. 

A  GUARD  OF  HONOR  FOR  THE  REMAINS  OF  THE 
Federal  Major,  Winthrop. 

BRAVERY  OF  THE  MISSES  CLAPTON,  OF  HAMPTON, 
Va.    Henry  A.  Wise  organizes  a  legion. 

A  GLOOMY'  PICTURE  OF  NEW  YORK. 

ASSEMBLY  OF  VIRGINIA  CONVENTION. 

CAPTURE  OF  THE  PRIVATEER  SAVANNAH. 

ENGAGEMENT  AT  VIENNA. 

BALLOONING  BY  THE  FEDERALS. 

ATTACK  AT  NEW  CREEK  DEPOT. 


ARMY  LETTERS 

OF 

''Personne." 


Vol.  I.  COLUMBIA,  S.  C,  1897.  No.  2 


IXTRODUCTIOX. 
A\'ashington,  D.  C,  Xovember  10,  '96. 

My  Dear  Sir: 

I  observe  that  you  are  about  to  undertake  the  repub- 
lication of  the  War  Letters  of  '"Personne/'  and  congratulate 
you  on  that  determination. 

It  is  true  that  between  1861-1865  tiie  conditions  were  dif- 
ferent from  those  which  exist  now.  The  fighting  men  of  the 
Confederacy  Avere  then  away  from  home.  Boys  scarcely 
crossed  the  threshold  separating  youth  from  maturity  when 
they  too  eagerly  joined  their  fathers  and  brothers  in  the  field. 
The  thought  of  CA'ery  woman  followed  them  there,  while  the 
aged  head  of  every  household,  himself  unable  to  bear  arms, 
impatiently  aAvaited  tlie  mails  that  brought  news  from  the 
front.  It  was  natural,  under  the  circumstances,  that  your  let- 
ters should  be  among  the  welcome  arrivals  in  our  Southern 
homes. 

Although  thirty-five  years  have  elapsed  since  those  ex- 
citing days,,  much  of  the  fraternity  of  feeling  then  existing  still 
remains — perpetuated  in  the  camps  of  A'eterans  and  in  the 
Associations  of  the  Sons  and  Daughters  of  the  Confederacy. 
To  this  large  class  those  letters  will  appeal. 

There  is  another  reason  why.  in  my  judgment,  they 
should  be  reproduced.    I  am  informed  that  there  are  only 


61 


two  copies  in  existence,  the  original  files  of  the  newspapers  in 
which  thy  appeared  having  been  destroyed;  hence,  they  never 
have  been  read  by  the  present  generation,  and  will  revive 
many  interesting  incidents  in  connection  with  our  struggle 
that  do  not  appear  in  current  histories. 

Written  amid  the  exciting  and  rapidly  occurring  events 
on  fields  of  action  in  South  Carolina,  Georgia,  Mrginia,  Ten- 
nessee, Mississippi  and  other  States,  I  can  readily  imagine 
them  to  be  imbued  with  the  warlike  atmosphere  that  pervaded 
the  South  during  its  great  contention,  and  that  by  reason  of 
their  freshness  of  detail  they  will  reflect  all  the  charms  of  con- 
temporaneous interest. 

Enjoying  the  freedom  of  headquarters,  the  confidence  of 
generals  in  command  and  a  wide  acquaintance  with  the  officers 
and  men,  you  were  in  position  to  witness  the  drama  in  many 
of  its  most  thrilling  phases,  and  in  familiar  language  you  told 
the  story  of  camp  and  field,  of  the  w^ayside  and  the  hospital, 
long  before  it  was  written  with  the  cold  formality  of  the  pro- 
fessional historian. 

To  Veterans  and  Matrons  of  the  Confederacy,  therefore, 
your  letters  will  recall  many  stirring  scenes,  beginning  with 
the  birth  of  the  government.  To  their  sons  and  daughters,  as 
well  as  to  the  general  reader,  they  will  open  new  chapters  in 
the  history  of  the  strife,  describe  its  battles  and  brave  men's 
heroism  and  preserve  the  pathos,  poetry  and  humor  of  the 
time.  To  the  young  people  of  the  rising  generation — those 
who  are  attending  school  and  college,  they  will  be  specially 
instructive,  and  above  all  should  make  them  proud  of  the 
fathers  and  mothers  who,  in  those  hours  of  travail,  learned 
how  "to  suffer  and  grow  strong." 
I  am  verv  truly  vours, 

WADE  HAMPTON. 

F.  G.  de  Fontaine,  Esq. 


PRESIDENT   LINCOLN  AND   PRESIDENT  DAVIS 


HROUGHOUT  the  South  the  news  of  the  fall  of  Fort 


^  In  the  Border  States  the  tardy  movements  of  the 
people  were  accelerated  into  prompt  action,  Texas  had 
already  entered  the  ring,  as  one  of  her  orators  in  Congress 
said,  "Like  a  knight  in  armor  with  visor  down,  and  lance  in 
rest;"  and  on  the  17th  of  April  proud  old  Virginia  added  her 
star  and  motto — ''Sic  Semper  Tyrannis' — to  the  Confederate 
escutcheon.  The  City  of  Alemphis,  unwilling  to  await  the 
action  of  Tennessee,  legislated  herself  out  of  the  Union,  and 
appropriated  fifty  thousand  dollars  for  her  defence. 

The  attack  on  Sumter  commenced  on  the  12th.  The 
fort  was  surrendered  on  the  13th  and  evacuated  on  the  14th. 
That  night  President  Lincoln  issued  a  proclamation  calling 
for  seventy-five  thousand  troops  "to  suppress  said  unlawful 
combinations,  and  redress  wrongs  already  long  endured."  The 
manner  in  which  it  was  received  by  the  several  States  indi- 
cates the  controlling-  sentiments  of  the  hour.  The  Governor 
of  Rhode  Island  replied  by  tendering  the  services  of  a  thou- 
sand infantry  and  a  battalion  of  artillery.  ^Massachusetts  in 
two  days  gathered,  equipped  and  sent  to  Washington  three 
regiments.  The  New  York  Legislature  appropriated  three 
millions  of  dollars.  \^ermont,  Connecticut,  New  Jersey,  Ohio 
and  Indiana  likewise  responded  immediately. 

On  the  other  hand,  A'irginia  replied  by  passing  her  Ordi- 
nance of  Secession.  Governor  Ellis,  of  North  Carolina,  tele- 
graphed to  l\lr.  Lincoln:  "I  regard  a  levy  of  troops  for  sub- 
jugating the  South  as  in  violation  of  the  constitution,  and  a 
usurpation  of  power.  You  can,  therefore,  have  no  troops  from 
North  Carolina."  Governor  Clairborne  Jackson,  of  Missouri, 
answered:  "Your  requisition,  in  my  judgment,  is  illegal,  un- 
constitutional, revolutionary,  and  in  its  objects  inhuman  and 
diabolical."  Governor  Isham  B.  Harris,  of  Tennessee,  re- 
plied: "This  State  will  not  furnish  a  single  man  to  the  Fed- 
eral Governm.ent,  but  fifty  thousand,  if  necessary,  for  the 
defence  of  her  Southern  brethren."  The  Governor  of  Ken- 
tucky telegraphed  on  the  same  day:  "Kentucky  will  furnish 
no  troops  for  the  wicked  purpose  of  subduing  her  sister  South- 


CALL  FOR  TROOPS. 


Sumter  was  everywhere  received  with  joyful  demon- 
strations.   Seven  States  were  now  out  of  the  Union. 


63 


ern  States,"  while  Governcr  Rector,  of  Arkansas,  is  reported 
to  have  telegraphed,  with  more  iorce  than  suavity:  ''Yours 
received  calling  for  a  regiment  of  volunteers.  Nary  one;  see 
you  d  d  first." 

The  consecjuence  of  l\lr.  Lincoln's  proclamation  in  the 
South  was  a  contribution  of  strength  tO'  its  cause.  It  added 
to  the  Confederacy,  Tennessee  on  the  6th  of  May,  Arkansas 
on  the  1 8th  of  May,  and  North  Carolina  on  the  20th  of  May. 
Missouri  came  in  on  the  28th  of  October  and  Kentucky  on  the 
20th  of  November. 

On  the  15th  of  April— one  day  after  the  requisition  by 
President  Lincoln— President  Davis  issued  a  proclamation 
calling  for  thirty-two  thousand  volunteers,  and  on  the  17th 
of  the  same  month  he  issued  another  authorizing  letters  of 
marcjue  and  reprisal.  The  blockade  of  Southern  ports  was  de- 
clared on  the  20th,  and  the  mails  to  the  South  were  stopped 
on  the  2 1  St.  (It  may  be  added,  parenthetically,  that  the 
Northern  States  have  nine  thousand  three  hundred  and  thirty- 
four  miles  of  coast  and  the  Southern  States  twenty-three  thou- 
sand eight  hundred  and  three  miles  of  coast.  In  the  latter 
there  are  sixty  harbors  more  than  in  the  North). 

The  two  sections  now  stood  face  to  face  in  hostile  array. 
In  five  days  after  the  call  of  President  Davis,  twenty-one  or- 
ganized and  equipped  companies  responded  from  Alabama 
alone.  Virginia,  Georgia,  Mississippi,  Florida  and  Louisiana 
likewise  reported  large  bodies  of  soldiers  prepared  for  service. 
In  South  Carolina  thousands  were  already  in  the  field.  The 
former  pursuits  of  the  people  were  abandoned.  Students  has- 
tened home  from  colleges  and  schools  to  arm,  and  men  of  all 
professions  and  trades  shouldered  their  fire-locks  and  took 
their  places  in  the  ranks.  Fathers  stood  "shoulder  to  shoul- 
der" with  their  sons;  m.others  w^ould  not  restrain  the  enthusi- 
asm ol  their  boys;  sisters  buckled  on  the  armor  of  their  broth- 
ers and  bid  them  God-speed  in  tears  and  yet  in  faith.  Whole 
families  joined  the  army.  From  that  of  Judge  Lumpkin,  of 
the  Supreme  Court  of  Georgia,  went  four  sons,  two  sons-in- 
law,  two  grandsons  and  six  nephews.  Hundreds  imitated  the 
example,  and  if  today  the  records  could  be  reached,  they 
would  show  how  many  and  man}-  a  sire  and  matron  are 
treading  down  the  slope  of  life  ak^ic,  only  awaiting  to  rejoin 
the  spirits  of  those  whose  young  lives  were  quenched  on  the 
battle-fields  of  the  South. 


64 


Tlie  scenes  which  transpired  on  the  org-anization  and  de- 
parture of  the  vohuiteers  for  the  different  fields  of  action  were 
in  their  character  ahnost  melo-dramatic. 

\\'hen  the  troops  from  3.Iontgomery.  Ala.,  Avere  about 
leaving  the  city,  a  lady  passnig  along  one  of  the  principal 
thoroughfares  was  met  by  a  soldier,  who,  doubtless,  feeling 
that  "touch  of  nature  which  makes  the  whole  world  kin,"  po- 
litely raised  his  hat  and  said:  "Farewell,  my  good  lady,  I  am 
going  off  to  light  for  you."  Her  instant  rejoinder  was:  "And 
I  intend  to  remain  here  to  pray  for  yoii.'^  The  remark  was 
heard  by  a  group  of  gentlemen  standing  near,  and  as  she 
passed  on  every  head  was  uncovered  in  deference  to  the  noble 
woman  who  had  so  fervently  pledged  herself  to  invoke  the 
benediction  of  Heaven. 

In  Aslieville,  X.  C,  ]\Ir.  R.  H.  Hughes,  a  veteran  of  sev- 
enty years  of  age,  volunteered.  "You  are  too  old,"  was  the 
reply  which  greeted  his  application.  "I  may  be  too  old  to  do 
much  service."  was  the  noble  response,  "but  I  can,  at  least, 
stop  a  bullet  from  hitting  some  younger  man." 

One  fati:er,  as  he  parted  witii  his  son,  was  heard  to  say: 
''John,  good-by:  an  honorable  discharge  or  die" — a  laconicism 
worthy  of  a  Spartan.  Another,  at  a  public  meeting  in  Ala- 
bama, said:  "One  of  my  two  boys  is  now  in  the  ranks.  AMien 
he  falls  I  will  send  the  other:  and  when  lie  dies  by  disease  or 
the  sword.  I  will  myself  supply  his  place,  and  leave  it  in  my 
will  that  in  case  of  my  death,  my  wife  and  datighters  shall  fur- 
nish a  substitute  till  the  end  of  the  war"" 

Even  clergymen  left  their  peaceful  calling  for  the  sterner 
duties  of  the  camp  and  bivouac,  and  boys  from  ten  to  four- 
teen years  of  age  formed  into  companies  and  drilled  in  antici- 
pation of  the  hotir  when  their  services  would  be  recjuired.  In 
Petersburg.  \'a.,  three  hundred  free  negroes  offered  to  fight 
under  white  officers  or  dig  fortifications,  while  not  less  enthu- 
siastic slaves  in  every  State  clamored  vith  their  masters  for 
permission  to  follow  them  to  tlie  field.  It  was  not  until  after 
the  emancipation  proclamation  of  Abraham  Lincoln  that  any 
of  this  faithftil  class  deserted  the  allegiance  to  which  they  had 
been  attached. 

]\Ien  of  Avealth  contributed  largely  of  their  means.  Ben- 
jamin ]\Iordecai.  a  citizen  of  Charleston,  presented  to  Sotith 
Carolina  ten  thousand  dollars  in  gold.  Gen.  G.  Harding, 
of  Tennessee,  said  to  Governor  Harris:     "Sir.  whatever  I 


65 


have  and  possess,  including  my  own  person,  I  now  tender  to 
you."  Mr.  John  Overton,  also  of  Tennessee,  then  worth  up- 
wards of  five  millions  of  dollars,  wTote  to  the  same  Governor: 
"Check  on  me  to  the  extent  of  my  estate  to  uphold  the  honor 
of  Tennessee."  James  C.  Bruce,  Esq.,  of  Halifax  County,  Va., 
one  of  the  wealthiest  citizens  of  that  Commonwealth,  of¥ered 
to  place  at  her  disposal  his  "entire  pecuniary  means,  and,  if 
necessary,  to  melt  his  silver  plate  to  lay  upon  the  altar  of  his 
country."  Wade  Hampton,  of  South  Carolina,  expended  im- 
mense sums  in  importing  arms  and  equipments  from  Eng- 
land. Hon.  Plowden  C.  J.  Weston,  an  Englishman  by  birth, 
and  for  many  years  a  princely  rice  planter  on  the  Waccamaw, 
in  South  Carolina,  equipped  several  companies  with  arms, 
horses  and  clothing,  and  then  entered  the  ranks  as  a  private. 
These  are  but  a  few  of  the  hundreds  of  instances  of  this  char- 
acter W'hich  might  be  related. 

Proposals  for  a  loan  of  five  millions  of  dollars,  authorized 
by  the  Provisional  Congress,  w-ere  answered  wdthm  a  few  days 
by  a  subscription  for  eight  millions  at  par.  Even  the  slaves 
invested  their  savings  in  these  bonds.  Every  facility  vv^as  thus 
atTorded  to  the  government  by  the  citizens  of  the  Confederacy 
for  successfully  carrying  forward  the  gigantic  undertaking  in 
which  it  was  engaged. 

Xeither  the  North  nor  the  South,  however,  yet  compre- 
hended the  full  magnitude  of  the  crisis.  Preparations  were, 
therefore,  inadequate  to  the  achievement  of  great  results.  Al- 
though the  citizens  of  the  Confederacy  were  in  a  mood  to  bear 
any  amiount  of  taxation,  it  was  deemed  unnecessary  to  incur  a 
great  debt.  President  Davis  took  counsel  of  military  men  as 
to  the  number  of  troops  likely  to  be  required  m  the  emer- 
gency, and  wdien  General  Plenningsen,  an  old  Hungarian 
officer,  of  Nicaragua!!  fame,  estimated  that  a  standing  army  of 
one  hundred  thousand  men  would  be  necessary  to  maintain 
the  attitude  of  the  South,  the  idea  was  ridiculed.  Prudent 
statesmen  urged  the  government  to  purchase  all  the  cotton  on 
liand,  when  it  could  be  had  for  seven  or  eight  cents  per  pound, 
and  so  make  it  a  power,  but  months  passed  before  this  great 
element  of  strength  was  even  partially  employed,  and  by  that 
lime  the  price  was  doubled.  Government  was  likewise  un- 
successfully pressed  to  purchase  ships  abroad  and  supply  its 
W'ants  before  the  establishm.ent  of  a  blockade,  and  individual 
enterprise  was  left  to  take  the  initiative  in  this  respect  and  as- 


66 


sume  the  risks.  Our  sins  at  this  time  were  sins  of  omission. 
The  facts  mentioned  show  a  lack  of  foresight  that  might  have 
been  incident  to  any  administration  stirrounded  by  the  same 
novel  circumstances.  Energetic  in  some  features,  in  others 
events  have  proved  it  to  be  tardy,  cautious  and  inert. 

In  the  Xorth.  the  newspapers  of  the  day  recorded  a  cor- 
responding degree  of  war  enthusiasm.  From  ptilpit  and  hus- 
tings, counting  room  and  factory,  the  one  cry  was  "Union.'' 
Tlie  important  fact  appeared  to  be  suddenly  appreciated  that 
the  South  was  the  great  tributary  of  Xorthern  wealth,  and 
the  secession  movement,  if  successful,  would  forever  dam  its 
current.  Hence  those  gigantic  preparations  which  were  to 
make  the  war  ""short,  bloody  and  decisive:'"  and.  in  the  lan- 
guage of  ]\Ir.  Seward,  "to  whip  the  South  into  submission  in 
ninety  days."  The  furore  foimd  vent  in  a  curiously  patriotic 
eruption  of  flags.  Dangling  from  the  button  holes  of  men, 
interwoven  with  the  head-dresses  of  women,  floating  from 
public  and  private  masts,  waving  from  windows,  and  wrapping 
even  the  sacred  desk — the  "stars  and  stripes"  became  at  once 
a  badge  of  loyalty  and  a  shield  of  protection.  Every  man 
whose  sympathies  were  doubted,  and  every  newspaper  which 
had  espoused  the  cause  of  the  South,  was  forced  by  angry 
mobs  to  show  colors  or  accept  a  fearful  alternative. 

By  the  17th  of  April  scA'eral  bodies  of  troops  were  in 
readiness  to  march  to  A\'ashington.  The  city  of  Xew  York 
never  witnessed  n:ore  exciting  scenes  than  attended  the  de- 
parture of  the  Seventh,  Seventy-first,  Twelfth  and  other  "crack 
corps"  belonging  to  the  local  militia.  "Every  window,  door- 
vay,  balcony  and  housetop  along  Broadway  was  alive  with 
human  beings.  The  piers,  landings  and  heights  of  Brooklyn, 
Hoboken  and  Jersey  City  were  crowded,  and  thousands  of 
boats  saluted  the  steamers  which  conveyed  the  troops.  Flags 
dipped,  cannon  roared,  bells  rang,  steam  whistles  saluted,  and 
a  million  of  people  sent  up  cheers  of  parting.'" 

On  the  following  Simday  n:any  of  the  congregations  min- 
gled patriotism  and  piety  in  dicir  form  of  worship.  It  is  re- 
corded that  at  the  Broadway  Tabernacle  the  pastor  preached 
a  serm.on  on  "God's  time  of  threshing,"  and  the  choir  sang  the 
^larsellaise.  Dr.  Bethune  selected  as  his  text:  "In  the  name 
of  our  God  we  will  set  up  our  banners."  In  Dr.  Bellows' 
church  the  choir  sang  the  "Star  Spangled  Banner."  and  the 
congregation  vigorously  applauded.     Dr.  T.  D.  Wells  (old 


67 


school  Presbyterian)  preached  from  the  -words:  "He  that  hath 
no  sword  let  him  buy  one."  Dr.  Osgood's  sermon  was  on 
the  theme:    "Lift  up  a  standard  to  the  people." 

Nor  was  money  from  private  and  public  sources  wanting. 
Substantial  aid  was  given  to  the  Federal  Government  by 
quickly  absorbing  its  loans.  The  New  York  Chamber  of 
Commerce  donated  twenty-one  thousand  dollars  for  the  equip- 
ment of  troops.  For  a  similar  purpose  the  New  York  bar 
raised  twenty-five  thousand  dollars  on  the  spot,  and  the  city 
corporation  voted  one  million  of  dollars  for  the  defence  of  the 
government.  The  example  was  followed  in  all  of  the  Southern 
States  and  cities. 

Several  events  also  occurred  in  quick  succession  well  cal- 
culated still  more  to  aggravate  the  popular  mind. 

RIOT  IN  BALTIMORE. 

The  secessionists  of  Baltimore  had  resolved  that  no 
Northern  troops  should  cross  their  soil  for  the  purpose  of  in- 
vadmg  Virginia.  Accordingly,  on  the  19th  of  April,  when  the 
Sixth  Massachusetts  Regiment  arrived  in  the  city  cn  route  to 
Washington,  they  were  met  at  the  depot  by  a  large  and  ex- 
cited concourse,  and  the  track  w^as  barricaded  w^ith  anchors, 
logs  and  iron  bars.  Thus  obstructed,  the  Northerners  deter- 
mined to  brave  the  gathering  storm  and  make  the  passage  to 
tlie  opposite  depot  on  foot.  Tlie  column  was  formed  and  the 
advance  commenced,  when  a  mass  of  men  bearing  a  Confed- 
erate flag  swept  dovv'U  upon  the  troops,  forcing  them  back  in 
confusion.  Finally,  however,  with  the  aid  of  the  police,  order 
was  partially  restored,  and  with  the  mayor  at  its  head,  the  reg- 
iment again  moved  forward.  Yells,  groans,  hisses  and  angry 
exclamations,  accompanied  by  a  shower  of  stones,  now  filled 
tlie  air.  The  soldiers  struggled  with  the  tumult,  which  every 
moment  increased  in  violence,  but  without  avail,  and  on  reach- 
ing the  corner  of  Gay  street,  presented  arms  and  fired.  The 
scene  that  followed  beggars  all  description.  People  ran  in  every 
direction  in  search  of  weapons.  The  gun  stores  were  emptied  of 
their  contents.  Individuals  dashed  impetuously  into  the  ranks, 
wrested  the  muskets  from  the  soldiers  and  felled  them  to  the 
ground.  Officers  and  men  were  knocked  down  with  fists, 
canes  and  stones,  while  those  who  had  knives  or  revolvers 
used  them  freely,  inflicting  desperate  wounds.    For  a  few  mo- 


68 


menis  the  tight  raged  territicah}".  but  at  last  the  Federals 
broke  into  a  run.  The  pursuit  by  the  infuriated  mob  con- 
tinued until  they  arrived  at  the  Washington  depot.  Once  or 
twice  the  soldiers  halted  and  delivered  a  scattering  volley,  but 
the  balls  went  far  above  the  heads  of  the  crowd  into  the  second 
and  third  stories  of  the  neighboring  buildings.  At  last,  taking 
refuge  in  the  cars,  the  Xortherners  were  comparatively  safe, 
but  the  demonstrations  of  the  mob  were  still  fearful.  2\Lcn 
inebriated  with  rage,  their  clothing  torn,  hair  dishevelled  and 
e}-es  glaring  with  hungry  passions,  pressed  up  to  the  windows 
of  the  cars,  and  reaching  in,  brandished  knives  or  discharged 
revolvers.  The  cry  arose,  "tear  tip  the  track — tear  up  the 
track,'"  and  thousands  rushed  beyond  the  depot  to  consum- 
mate the  purpose.  Fortunately  for  the  Federals,  it  was  easier 
to  obstruct  than  to  destroy,  and  the  police  who.  under  ^larshal 
Kane,  acted  bravely  throughout  the  alt  air,  removed  the  ob- 
stacles from  the  rails  as  fast  as  they  were  laid  on.  The  train 
then  moved  slowly  out  of  the  depot.  As  it  did  so  the  troops 
fired  a  volley  into  the  crowd,  wounding  several  and  killing 
an  estimable  merchant  of  Baltimore  Avho  was  standing  at  a 
distance.  The  total  number  of  casualties  on  both  sides  Avas 
betvs-een  forty  and  fiity.  of  whom  seven  or  eight  were  shot 
dead. 

It  may  be  remarked  as  a  singular  coincidence  that  the 
first  blood  shed  in  the  old  Revolution  was  at  Lexington, 
Mass.,  on  the  19th  of  April.  1775.  and  the  first  blood  of  the 
recent  Revolution  was  shed  in  the  City  of  Baltimore  on  the 
19th  of  April,  1861,  just  eighty-six  years  afterwards.  . 

Thus  terminated  one  of  the  most  singular  collisions  which 
marked  the  early  history  of  the  war.  It  was  no  partial  up- 
heaval of  the  masses,  but  one  which  merged  all  class  distinc- 
tions, and  put  to  silence  all  party  dift'erences.  The  mob  em- 
braced the  best  citizens  of  Baltimore  as  well  as  the  worst,  and 
for  several  days  afterwards  volunteers  from  the  country,  on 
iiorseback  and  afoot,  contintied  to  arrive  in  the  city  for  the 
purpose  of  taking  part  in  the  further  organized  resistance 
which  was  contemplated.  All  the  bridges  on  the  railroad  to 
the  Susquehanna  were  now  destroyed  by  the  ]\Iarylanders, 
and  from  twenty  to  thirty  thousand  Xorthern  troops  detained 
at  Havre  de  Grace  by  the  interruption  of  this  line  of  travel. 

In  the  evening  after  the  fight  a  great  mass  meeting  was 
held  in  one  of  the  ptiblic  squares  and  addressed  by  several 

69 


speakers,  who  openly  proclaimed  the  doctrine  of  secession, 
and  urged  the  people  to  "awake  from  the  lethargy  of  shackled 
repose." 

The  Governor  of  the  State,  Thomas  H.  Hicks,  was  also 
present,  and  to  conciliate  the  public  seritiment  condemned 
the  coercive  policy  of  the  administration,  closing  his  speech 
with  the  remark:  'T  will  suffer  my  right  arm  to  be  torn  from 
my  body  before  I  raise  it  to  strike  a  sister  Southern  State.'' 

In  less  than  one  month  from  that  time  Governor  Hicks 
affiliated  with  the  Federal  authorities,  and  Maryland  became 
powerless  as  an  ally  of  the  South.  Before  the  conclusion  of 
the  war  the  right  arm  of  Governor  Hicks  was  "torn  from  his 
body"  by  an  accident. 

Affecting  to  yield  to  the  display  of  public  feeling,  Presi- 
dent Lincoln  gave  assurances  to  the  Marylanders  that  no 
more  troops  would  pass  through  Baltimore,  and  for  a  consid- 
erable time  thereafter  they  were  transmitted  to  the  capital  by 
the  way  of  Annapolis ;  but  as  soon  as  General  Scott  could  per- 
fect his  arrangements  the  city  was  invested  and  occupied  by 
an  army  of  thirty  thousand  men.  The  administration  now 
called  upon  the  State  to  supply  its  quota  of  troops  to  the  army, 
and  the  Governor  issued  his  proclamation  accordingly.  The 
brave  people  submitted.  They  were  hemmed  in  but  not  con- 
quered, and  thousands  of  young  men  voluntarily  expatriated 
themselves  that  they  might  fight  under  the  banner  of  the  Con- 
federacy for  a  cause  which  it  was  not  their  privilege  to  defend 
on  their  own  soil. 

Another  important  event  which  occurred  at  this  time  was 
the  evacuation  and  burning  of  the  navy  yard  at  Norfolk,  Va. 
Information  had  reached  Washington  that  Southern  troops 
were  hastening  towards  Norfolk,  and,  in  compliance  with 
the  orders  thereupon  issued.  Commodore  ]\IcCauley,  on  the 
20th  of  April,  applied  the  torch  and  commenced  the  work  of 
destruction.  The  Federal  men-of-war,  then  in  the  harbor, 
were  the  line-of-battle  ship  "Pennsylvania,"  the  steam  frigate 
''IMerrimac,"  the  frigates  "United  States,"  "Raritan,"  "Colum- 
bia," ''Delaw^are,"  the  sloop  "Germantown,"  and  the  brig 
''Dolphin."  Of  these  the  "United  States"  and  the  "IMerrimac" 
alone  were  saved,  the  latter  being  partially  burned,  and  rebuilt 
in  the  shape  and  with  the  name  of  the  famous  iron  ram  "Mr- 
ginia."  The  "Pawnee"  and  "Cumberland"  w  ere  in  active  ser- 
vice, and  consequently  made  their  escape.    The  granite  dry- 


70 


dock.  l3uilt  at  immense  expense,  and  the  finest  in  the  world, 
was  doomed,  btu  not  destroyed.  Forty  barrels  of  gunpowder 
were  introduced  into  its  chambers,  a  train  laid  and  a  slow 
match  applied,  but  a  Portsmouth  lad.  who  saw  the  act,  seized 
a  favorable  opportunity,  and  in  turning  over  a  plank  on  which 
the  powder  was  in  part  laid,  thus  "broke  the  connection"  and 
foiled  the  design. 

From  stibsequent  revelatioris  it  appeared  that  one  of  the 
officers  of  the  navy  }'ard.  while  cji  route  to  Norfolk.  OA'crheard 
a  conversation  on  the  cars,  m  which  it  was  stated  that  the  place 
was  to  be  attacked  that  night.  The  preparations  were  there- 
fore hurried.  The  gtms,  of  which  there  were  a  great  niunber. 
were  inefiiciently  spiked,  and  the  torch  applied  so  hastily  that 
in  some  mstances  it  did  not  ignite.  The  barracks  were  fired 
before  the  appointed  time.  and.  adding  to  the  confusion,  was 
the  presence  outside  of  the  gates  of  a  throng  of  armed  men, 
who  were  momently  expected  to  make  a  demonstration.  The 
Federals  were  also,  doubtless,  hurried  in  their  work  by  the 
idea  that  large  reinforcements  to  the  A^irginia  camp  were  ar- 
riving every  hotu" — an  idea  which  was  stimulated  by  the  pro- 
digious clatter  of  an  empty  railroad  train,  which  was  run  for- 
wards and  backwards  with  frequent  shrieks  from  its  steam 
whistle,  as  a  iiisc  dc  giicrrc. 

The  na^-y  yard  was  ignited  at  12  o'clock  at  night.  The 
flan:es  at  first  btirned  low.  and  made  little  headway:  btit  as 
morning  progressed,  they  had  caught -one  object  and  another 
in  their  fiery  embrace,  imtil  at  four  o'clock  the  entire  horizon 
was  tremulous  with  the  flickering  lights  and  shadows  that 
played  upon  the  sombre  backgroimd  of  the  night.  From  two 
large  ship-houses  and  from  the  masts  and  spars  and  hulls  of 
stately  vessels,  the  flames  were  leaping  in  sheets  and  jets,  in 
eddying  currents,  until  they  seemed  to  touch  the  very  clouds, 
while  above  all.  high  in  air.  hung  a  lurid  canopy  of  smoke 
flecked  with  a  myriad  of  fiery  stars. 

The  next  morning  tlie  A'irginians  took  possession  of  the 
place.  By  this  capture  the  South  obtained  public  property  to 
the  value  of  fifteen  millions  of  dollars,  including  fifteen  him- 
dred  heavy  guns  of  various  calibre,  improved  machinery  for 
their  manufacture,  ammunition  and  other  warlike  material  of 
which  the  country  was  greatly  in  need.  The  command  of  the 
station  was  now  assigned  to  Commodore  F.  Forrest,  of  the  old 


71 


navy,  who  had  promptly  tendered  his  services  to  Virginia  on 
her  secession. 

The  same  scene  was  repeated  in  a  modified  form  at  the 
Harper's  Ferry  Armory,  in  Virginia,  where  the  Lieutenant  in 
command,  learning  that  a  body  of  State  troops  were  advan- 
cing, set  fire  to  the  works  and  escaped.  The  flames  being 
quickly  extinguished  by  the  townspeople,  here  also  the  Con- 
federate Government  came  in  possession  of  a  large  amount  of 
the  most  valuable  tools  and  machinery  for  the  manufacture 
of  small  arms. 

Up  to  this  time  Fortress  Monroe,  although  the  strongest 
work  in  the  United  States,  could  have  been  taken  with  com- 
parative ease,  and  there  were  bold  men  in  Richmond,  Va.^ 
who  offered  to  lead  an  expedition  for  the  purpose;  but  from 
causes  which  it  may  not  be  proper  to  explain  at  the  present 
moment,  these  proffers  were  declined  by  the  State  authorities^ 
and  the  golden  opportunity  passed.  On  the  very  day  of  the 
evacuation  above  described,  the  Federal  Government  had 
thrown  into  the  fortress  a  reinforcement  sufficient  to  hold  it 
against  any  odds  that  wc  could  then  oppose. 

It  was  now  apparent  that  Virginia  was  to  be  the  "dark 
and  blood}^  ground"  of  the  struggle,  and  at  the  North  it  was 
feared  that  Washington  would  be  captured  at  once  unless 
quickly  garrisoned. 

Thither,  therefore,  troops  from  that  section  were  massed 
in  large  numbers.  Still  all  was  confusion  at  the  capital.  Pub- 
lic buildings  were  turned  into  barracks  or  fortified.  The  pres- 
ident was  protected  by  a  guard.  Men  were  regarded  with  sus- 
picion, and  oaths  of  allegiance  to  the  Federal  Government 
exacted  from  the  highest  to  the  lowest  in  authority.  The  Vir- 
ginians were  already  gathering  within  cannon  shot,  and  but 
for  the  defensive  policy  adopted  by  the  South,  Washington 
might  have  been  possessed  at  an  early  day. 

Montgomery,  Ala.,  was  at  this  time  the  temporary  capital 
of  the  Confederacy,  and  a  writer  of  the  day  gives  us  a  picture 
of  tlie  president  and  cabinet: 

"The  official  departments,"  he  says,  "are  embraced  in  a 
single  brick  building.  Here  are  grouped  the  president's  office, 
the  Treasury,  War,  Navy  and  State  Departments,  and  the 
office  of  the  attorney-general.  The  secretaries  generally  de- 
vote themselves  to  business  from  nine  o'clock  in  the  morning 
until  ten  o'clock  at  night.    The  files  and  records,  of  course. 


-  72 


amount  to  but  little  as  yet.  Hon.  Robert  Toombs  said  a  few 
days  since  he  did  not  want  a  clerk,  as  he  "carried  the  State 
Department  in  his  hat.' 

"The  Treasury  Department  has  been  very  successful  in  its 
operations.  The  bids  for  the  loan  are  at  and  over  par.  The 
labors  of  organizing-  a  new  system  are  obviously  great,  and 
to  these  ^Ir.  ]\Iemminger  devotes  himself  with  unremitting  in- 
dustry. 

'"He  has  put  the  salaries  of  clerks  of  the  very  highest 
ability  at  twelve  hundred  dollars  a  year,  and  that.  too.  in  one 
of  the  m.ost  expensive  places  in  the  South.  For  services  in 
your  banks  and  mercantile  houses  men  would  be  paid  two 

thousand  dollars  or  two  thousand  live  hinidred  dollars  per 
annmn. 

"Tn  the  War  Department,  under  Gen.  Pope  Walker,  the 
government  has  the  services  of  Colonel  Cooper,  the  late  able 
and  experienced  Adjutant-General  of  the  Cnited  States  Army. 
The  aitditor  of  the  army  accounts  is  Col.  H.  S.  Taylor, 
one  of  the  most  experienced  of  the  Treasury  experts  at  Wash- 
ington. 

"One  of  the  best  men  in  the  cabinet  is  the  P^ostmaster- 
General.  Judge  Reagan,  of  Texas.  He  is  a  good  lawyer  and 
parliamentarian,  a  man  of  unwearied  labor  and  perseverance, 
conscientious  and  imbued  with  the  exact  notions  of  govern- 
mental expenditure.  For  his  assistants  he  has  chosen  two 
valuable  clerks,  lately  in  the  government  service  at  \\'ashing- 
ton,  ^lessrs.  St.  George  Oftutt  and  Clements. 

"The  president  seems  to  be  fully  up  to  his  position.  He 
evidentl}-  is  oppressed  with  the  strongest  personal  sense  of  his 
great  responsibility.  He  works  nearly  the  whole  day.  Con- 
stant vigilance  and  thought  upon  public  aftairs.  the  work  of 
defending  the  South  from  invasion,  of  putting  the  new  Confed- 
eracy upon  a  firm  and  lofty  position  among  the  powers  of  the 
world,  all  combine  to  make  him  thoughtful  and  grave.  He 
wisely  leaves  details  to  his  assistants,  while  he  occupies  him- 
self with  the  more  important  questions  of  state  and  the  defence 
of  the  country. 

"Xothing  can  exceed  the  simplicity  of  the  presidential 
mansion.  A  small  garden  and  an  open  gate  brings  you  to  the 
door,  where,  without  hardly  the  formality  of  a  card,  a  negro 
servant  conducts  you  to  the  presence  of  the  president  or  his 
lady.    Xo  guard  of  bayonets,  no  soldier  stands  sentinel  over 


73 


the  waking  or  sleeping  hours  of  Jefferson  Davis.  He  walks 
or  rides  about  the  city  quietly,  with  every  proper  mark  of  res- 
pect from  the  community,  but  w^ithout  annoyance  from  imper- 
tinent intrusion,  or  the  remotest  apprehension  of  personal  vio- 
lence. Leaving  out  of  view  his  routine  of  official  duty, 'his 
daily  life  is  not  different  from  the  routine  of  that  of  any  gen- 
tleman in  this  city.  The  government  thus  approaches  the  old 
republican  fashions  of  our  ancestors." 

Personne. 


CHARACTERISTICS  OF  THE  SOUTHERN  VOLUN- 
TEER. 

AT  THE  period  of  which  we  write — May,  1861 — two 
distinct  military  organizations  were  being  created  in 
the  South — the  regular  and  the  volunteer  or  provis- 
ional army.  The  former  belonged  to  the  general 
government.  The  latter  was  the  offspring  of  the  people.  One 
was  intended  to  be  permanent,  the  other  was  temporary,  its 
existence  depending  on  the  duration  of  the  war.  The  regular 
army,  however,  w^as  more  or  less,  so  to  speak,  merged  in  the 
provisional  organization.  Its  officers  were  transferred  to  the 
volunteers  and  advanced  to  high  grades.  The  men  were  not 
unlike  those  of  every  regular  service  in  civilized  nations,  and 
restrained  by  the  same  rigid  discipline. 

In  the  present  chapter,  therefore,  we  shall  dwell  chiefly 
upon  the  characteristics  of  the  Southern  volunteer. 

It  has  already  been  sho\vn  with  wliat  a  spontaniety  of  sen- 
timent men  of  all  classes  and  conditions  responded  to  the  call 
*'to  arms."  In  the  North,  the  first  outpouring  was  enthusiastic 
but  effervescent.  In  the  South,  it  was  the  result  of  a  principle, 
deep-seated  and  hereditary — not  born  of  the  hour,  but  the 
growth  of  years.  L'nselfishly  and  without  ambition,  men  sur- 
rendered luxurious  homes  and  entered  the  ranks  as  private 
soMiers,  to  labor,  and  toil,  and  march,  and  fight;  and  endure 
hunger,  thu'st  and  fatigue  with  no  other  object  than  to  defend 
the  home,  and  what  laconically  may  be  described  as  "South- 
ern Rights;"  to  prevent  invasion  and  maintain  the  constitution 
of  their  fathers. 

Thousands  among  them  were  men  of  culture;  men  of 
gentle  birth  and  training ;  men  of  wealth  and  high  social  posi- 


74 


lions;  men  who  gave  tone  to  the  community  in  which  they 
lived;  men  who  were  wiUing  to  sacrifice  every  comfort  for 
conscience  sake,  and.  if  necessar-y,  add  crimson  Hfe  to  the  pa- 
triotic offering.  Still  other  thousands  were  composed  of  the 
splendid  yeomanry  of  the  country  embracing  citizens  of  every 
nationality.  Prominent  among  these  were  the  Germans,  Irish, 
Scotch  and  French,  and  the  records  of  the  war  will  show  that, 
as  a  mass,  they  faithfully  espoused  the  cause  of  the  South. 

If  they  were  not  physically  superior,  the  early  associations 
and  habits  of  Southern  men  adapted  them  more  quickly  than 
Northern  troops  to  the  A'icissitudes  of  the  bivouac  and  battle- 
field. Familiarity  with  the  use  of  arms;  accustomed  to  the 
woods;  inured  to  the  fatigues  of  the  hunt;  habits  of  command; 
recklessness  of  life;  an  impetuous  nature,  quick  to  conceive 
and  bold  to  execute :  and  intense  individuality  and  mercureal 
temperament — these  Avere  some  of  the  characteristics  which 
gave  the  Soiuhern  soldier  an  earl}-  advantage,  and  won  for 
him  even  a  tribute  from  his  enemy. 

The  following  extract  from  a  letter  ptiblished  in  a  Xew 
York  paper  at  the  beginning  of  the  war  illustrates  wliat  has 
been  said  of  this  noble  material.  It  is  dated  "Grenada,  ]\Iiss., 
May,  1861; 

"Take  a  note  of  the  company  just  about  me.  Its  captain 
and  first  lieutenant  are  prominent  members  of  the  bar,  and  one 
•  of  them  a  late  L'nited  States  consul  to  Cuba.  In  it  you  will 
find  physicians  and  planters  fifty  years  of  age,  and  boys  of 
sixteen,  men  of  family  and  wealth. 

"The  company  next  west  is  captained  by  an  acting  judge, 
and  members  in  its  ranks  are  doctors,  la\vyers,  merchants  and 
planters,  some  near  fifty  and  some  worth  hundreds  of  thou- 
sands of  dollars.  Step  into  the  neighborhood  below  me.  Do 
you  see  that  old  man  there  with  a  head  as  white  as  ever  men's 
heads  are,  and  with  a  countenance  that  betrays  a  will  no  earth- 
ly power  can  bend,  yet  mild,  with  a  Sharp's  rifle  in  his  hand 
and  a  blanket  on  his  arm  read}'  to  march  to  the  defence  of  his 
country?  That  man  is  a  minister  of  the  Gospel,  who  for  fifty 
years  has  bowed  at  the  footstool  of  sovereign  mercy.  His 
three  sons,  his  only  son-in.-law — an  eminent  lawyer — and  the 
only  grandson  old  enough,  are  all  mingling  in  the  strife. 

*''A  few  days  since,  as  the  first  lieutenant,  orderly  sergeant 
and  a  few  others  of  the  company  about  me  were  moving  into 
muster,  with  colors  flying  and  drum  in  hand,  they  passed  a 


75 


plantation  where  were  two  lads  plowing  in  the  field.  When 
they  saw  the  Confederate  fiag  waving  in  the  breeze  they 
stopped  their  horses,  and  mounting,  dashed  up  the  road  to 
join.  The  old  man,  who  Vv-as  walking  across  the  field  towards 
the  house,  hastened  back,  and  the  negroes  threw  up  tneir  hats 
and  shouted,  'Hurrah  for  the  stars  and  bars.'  While  convers- 
ing, a  rifle  crack  was  heard  at  the  house.  The  lieutenant, 
knowing  there  was  not  a  white  male  member  of  the  family 
who  was  not  present,  asked  'who  could  be  shooting  over  there 
at  the  house.'  Why,'  said  the  owner,  'it's  the  old  woman 
gettin'  ready  for  war.'  And  such  are  the  facts  all  over  the 
South." 

Much  of  the  early  efficiency  of  the  Confederate  army  was 
due  to  the  character  of  its  officers.  Those  who  resigned  from 
the  old  army — the  graduates  of  W>st  Point — were  promoted 
to  high  commands,  and  tiius  a  military  system  was  established 
which  inmiediately  began  to  show  fruits.  The  raw  material 
was  bent  into  valuable  shape,  the  wayward  independence  of 
the  men  was  toned  down  by  constantly  enforced  obedience, 
and  in  a  measurable  degree  subordination  was  acquired  at  an 
early  day. 

Another  class  of  officers  to  which  the  Confederate  army 
was  indebted  for  not  a  little  of  its  excellence,  was  composed 
of  the  graduates  of  the  South  Carolina  Military  Academy  and 
Virginia  Military  Institute.  Each  of  these  gave  to  the  service 
many  accomplished  soldiers,  who  subsecjuently  won  distinc- 
tion as  general  officers. 

The  veterans  of  the  Mexican  war,  likewise,  found  and 
filled  worthy  places  in  the  army ;  and  representing,  as  they  did, 
the  martial  spirit  of  another  struggle,  and  bringing  to  the  field 
a  valuable  store  of  nnlitary  experience,  quickly  secured  the 
confidence  of  the  private  soldiers. 

A  fourth,  and  by  no  means  inconsiderable  class  of  officers, 
were  members  of  Congress  and  of  the  several  Legislatures  and 
public  men  throughout  the  South.  Ex-governors  of  States, 
judges  and  local  officials  might  be  counted  by  the  score. 

The  uniform  prescribed  by  the  Confederate  Congress 
was  of  grey,  but  owing  to  the  paucity  of  material,  not  more 
than  one  in  ten  of  the  early  regiments  were  clad  according  to 
the  regulations.  Many  companies  adopted  portions  of  the 
Zouave  uniform,  others  appeared  in  snuff  colored  attire,  while 
several  regiments  from  Louisiana  afifected  blue.    The  Wash- 

76 


ington  Artillery,  of  Xew  Orleans,  a  battalion  of  gentlemen 
representing  the  best  family  stock  of  that  State  was,  probably, 
at  this  time  the  most  substantially,  beautifully  and  regularly 
uniformed  connnand  of  its  size  in  the  service. 

The  great  body  of  troops  from  the  interior  appeared  in 
the  ranks  just  as  they  left  home,  and  human  eyes  never  rested 
on  a  more  motley  throng.  There  was  no  mark  to  designate 
the  respective  regiments,  and  only  an  intimate  knowledge  of 
the  physiognomical  or  other  personal  peculiarities  of  the 
troops  of  the  different  States  enabled  one  to  discover  whence 
they  came. 

The  dress  was  a  tangled  compound  of  frock  coats,  swal- 
low tails  and  jackets,  with  a  liberal  sprinkling  of  shirt  sleeves  : 
pants  of  every  hue  ana  shape,  from  the  gay  cassimere  to  the 
patched  emblems  of  better  times,  whose  nether  extremities 
were  lost  in  the  tops  of  boots  or  gathered  within  the  stockings; 
while  a  headgear  of  slouched  hats,  caps  and  stove  pipes,  pre- 
sented an  outline  on  parade  indescribably  ragged.  The  outfit 
was  completed  by  a  dmgy  blanket,  or  in  lieu  thereof  a  patched 
bedquilt,  a  home-made  knapsack  and  a  canvas  bag  in  which 
to  carry  rations.  A  belt  around  the  body  held  the  inevitable 
revolver  and  bowie-knife,  while  thrown  carelessly  over  the' 
shoulder  was  a  rifle,  musket  or  double  barrelled  shot  gun. 
Xot  imfrequently  added  to  this  miscellaneous  inventory  was 
a  violin,  guitar  or  accordeon,  and  some  of  the  old  hunters  and 
campaigners  of  the  woods  were  even  practical  enough  to 
bring  their  private  cooking  utensils,  which  dangled  in  pictur- 
esque profusion  from  behind  as  they  marched. 

In  one  instance  a  sweet-toothed  volunteer  brought  with 
him  a  jug  of  molasses;  and  it  is  related  of  another  that  he 
started  from  home  with  a  cow  which  he  proposed  to  mulk  for 
the  regiment. 

Until  the  establishment  of  the  blockade  many  of  the 
camps  were  supplied  vrith  every  luxury  that  could  tempt  tne 
palate.  Plantations  \  ielded  their  richest  stores  of  provisions; 
time-honored  wine  cellars  contributed  the  choicest  liquors, 
while  thoughtful  mothers  and  sisters  remembered  in  liberal 
offerings  of  the  "good  things  from  home,"  their  kinfolks  in 
the  camp.  If  there  are  two  things  m  the  world  for  which  a 
genuine  Sotitherner  has  a  weakness,  the}-  are  innumerable 
drinks  and  good  cigars.  \Miile  these  lasted  they  were  en- 
joyed; and  from  rci'ciUc  until  the  evening  "taps,"  the  gamut 


77 


of  punch  and  juleps  was  run  incessantly  in  the  hospitable 
camp  of  the  boys,  with  a  true  "da  capo"  movement.  In  at- 
tempting to  evade  a  sentinel  surreptitiously,  no  man  was  safe 
without  his  fluid  countersign. 

"Halt!  Who  goes  there?"  "A  friend,  with  a  bottle," 
was  the  response.  "Advance  bottle  and  draw  stopper;"  where- 
upon the  Rubicon  was  crossed.  Every  tent  was  an  ''open 
liouse"  to  the  inmates  of  every  other,  and  the  spirit  of  ''hail- 
fellow-well-met,  take-a-drink,"  everywhere  prevailed.  On  the 
mess  table  was  the  never  failing  bottled  hospitality  in  the 
shape  of  "plantation  bitters"  or  "Bourbon  cocktails;"  under 
the  table  a  demijohn  of  "old  rye"  or  XX  Cognac;  within 
arm's  length  was  the  mess  chest,  rich  with  mollifying  stores 
of  English  cheese,  lemons,  crackers,  sardines  and  condiments; 
while  not  unfrequently  a  miniature  vault  below  the  floor  pf 
the  tent  had  only  to  be  tapped  to  disclose  a  mine  of  Madeira, 
sherry  and  champagne. 

Such  were  the  early  experiences  of  the  soldier.  The  hard- 
ships amounted  to  comparatively  nothing,  the  discipline  was 
not  severe,  and  the  fraternization  between  the  officers  and  men 
contributed  to  make  their  then  life  one  long  holiday.  With 
the  closing  of  the  blockade,  however,  the  departure  of  the 
troops  from  the  neighborhood  of  home,  and  the  driving  of  the 
tent  pins  in  the  soil  of  A'lrginia,  luxuries  took  their  place 
among  the  things  to  be  remembered.  The  army  began  to  ex- 
perience something  of  the  vicissitudes  of  war. 

En  route  to  V^irginia  the  various  depots  were  thronged 
with  ladies,  who  paid  homage  to  the  passing  soldiers  with 
sliowers  of  flowers  thrown  into  the  windows  of  the  cars.  The 
old  men,  young  boys  and  negroes  stood  in  the  background 
decorated  with  secession  rosettes  or  miniature  flags,  and 
shouted  lustily  for  the  soldiers  and  the  soldiers  shouted  in 
return.  Occasionally  one  of  the  boys  would  step  out  on  the 
platform  and  commence  a  speech,  or  mounting  to  the  top  of 
the  car  with  his  fiddle  saw  out  "Dixie;"  and  it  was  not  unfre- 
quently the  case  at  every  principal  station,  every  voice  on  the 
train  was  united  with  its  fellows  in  rolling  out  some  sonorous 
Southern  song.    "Going  to  war"  was  then  a  pastime. 

By  the  middle  of  May  affairs  in  Virginia  had  assumed  a 
warlike  aspect — the  points  threatened  being  Norfolk,  Harper's 
Ferry  and  Manassas,  at  all  of  which  our  troops  were  rapidly 
congregating.    Fully  fifty  thousand  men  were  under  arms  and 


78 


rapidly  acquiring  discipline.  Gen.  Braxton  Bragg  was  in 
command  at  Pensacola  investing  Fort  Pickens;  General  Beau- 
regard Avas  still  at  Charleston,  and  Gen.  Robert  E.  Lee  en- 
gaged in  organizing  the  forces  in  A'irginia.  Gen.  Joseph  E. 
Johnston  had  likewise  resigned  from  the  United  States  army 
and  was  prepared  to  take  the  held.  It  is  a  singular  coinci- 
dence that  Generals  Lee  and  Johnston  entered  A\'est  Point 
together,  graduated  in  1829;  advanced  step  by  step  to  iiigh 
positions  m  the  old  sen'ice.  were  wounded  in  the  same  battle 
in  ^lexico.  and  together  joined  the  fortunes  of  their  native 
State  and  were  entrusted  with  its  most  responsible  offices. 
Their  fathers  were  also  friends  and  comrades  in  arms.  Judge 
Johnston  having  served  with  Light  Horse  Harry  Lee  in  the 
old  Revolutionary  army. 

PEX  PICTURE  OP  GEXERAL  LEE. 

The  value  of  General  Lee  to  the  Confederacy  was  attested 
by  Gen.  Winfield  Scott  when  he  said:  "The  flower  of  the 
army  has  departed.  I  would  rather  receive  the  resignation 
of  every  general  officer  than  that  of  Colonel  Lee."' 

The  city  of  Richmond  and  its  environs  at  this  time  Avere 
like  a  vast  military  cam.p.  Prom  nearly  every  house  fluttered 
the  Confederate  flag.  It  bridged  the  streets,  decorated  loco- 
motives, waved  from  the  tops  of  omnibuses,  and  the  headgear 
of  dray  horses.  Soldiers  were  at  every  turn.  The  hotels  were 
thronged  with  officers.  You  elbowed  the  most  distinguished 
men  of  the  South  in  the  crowd,  and  \'anity  Fair  itself  could 
not  have  presented  a  more  variegated  array  of  color  and  dress. 
The  streets  resoimded  with  the  roll  of  drums,  and  the  rumble 
of  army  wagons  conveying  supplies  to  the  camps.  The 
churches  were  turned  into  sewing  rooms,  where  hundreds  of 
ladies  daily  assembled  to  manm'acture  garments  for  the  tm- 
provided  troops.  The  busy  note  of  preparation  outrivalled 
even  that  preceding  the  attack  on  Fort  Sumter. 

A  Federal  demonstration  was  expected,  but  from  what 
quarter  no  one  could  anticipate.  Alexandria.  Fairfax  and  I\Ia- 
nassas  were  mere  outposts.  Still,  soldiers  were  congregating 
from  every  quarter;  Mrginia  herself  was  pouring*  forth  her 
sons  in  the  proportion  of  six  hundred  out  of  every  thousand 
voters,  and  to  organize  these  was  the  work  of  General  Lee, 
then  Commander-in-Chief  of  the  forces  of  the  State. 


79 


A  description  of  the  great  soldier  as  he  appeared  at  that 
time,  and  before  he  became  the  central  figure  of  the  struggle, 
may  not  be  uninteresting. 

"You  may  see  the  General,"  wrote  the  author  of  these 
papers,  "almost  any  day  when  his  duties  are  finished,  in  con- 
versation with  one  or  more  of  the  public  functionaries  who 
are  now  making  iheir  headquarters  at  the  Spotswood  Hotel. 
Personally,  he  is  in  many  respects  a  second  General  Beaure- 
gard, bound  in  a  larger  volume.  He  has  a  broad,  expansive 
forehead,  which  loses  itself  in  locks  of  iron  grey  hair;  a  keen, 
expressive  dark  eye,  that  would  become  a  quiet  parson  or  a 
Quaker  in  its  usual  light,  but  seemingly  capable  of  penetrating 
a  two-inch  board  when  stirred  to  angry  excitement;  and  a 
grave,  kind  face.  The  nose  is  of  the  semi-Roman  order,  well 
bridged,  broad,  and  as  an  organ  expressive,  while  the  mouth, 
though  partially  hidden  by  a  heavy  mustache,  indicates  decis- 
ion, generosity  and  caution.  The  manners  of  General  Lee  are 
exceedingly  affable,  and  yet  restrain  anything  like  an  approach 
•to  familiarity.  Indeed,  they  combine  so  nicely  the  bonhommie 
of  the  true  gentleman  with  the  rigid  dignity  of  the  soldier  that 
you  can  scarcely  tell  where  the  one  begins  and  the  other  ends. 
He  dresses  in  plain  black  clothes,  wears  an  old  felt  hat  with 
the  miost  democratic  irregularity,  and  is  the  last  man  in  Chris- 
tendom who  would  be  taken  by  a  stranger  as  the  Commander- 
in-Chief  of  the  Army  of  V^irginia." 

A  remarkable  coincidence  between  the  present  and  the 
past  peculiar  to  the  South  was  the  frequent  occurrence  of  rev- 
olutionary names,  (jeneral  Lee,  as  already  mentioned,  was  the 
son  of  Light  Horse  Harry  Lee.  His  aide,  Col.  J.  A.  Wash- 
ington, was  the  lineal  descendant  of  the  father  of  his  country. 
The  great-grandson  of  Thomas  Jefferson,  Major  Randolph, 
conmiandcd  a  battery,  and,  subsequently,  became  the  Secre- 
tary of  War.  The  grandson  of  Patrick  Henry  was  a  captain, 
while  the  descendants  of  Chief  Justice  Marshall,  Clay,  Cal- 
lioun,  Kershaw,  Twiggs  and  other  great  men  in  American 
history,  were  more  or  less  prominent  in  their  connection  with 
tlie  Confederate  army,  navy  or  civil  government. 

The  Northern  army  at  this  time  gathering  in  and  around 
Washington  was  much  superior  in  morale  to  any  of  the  suc- 
ceeding organizations.  It  was  composed,  in  the  main,  of  the 
thousands  of  young  men  who  for  years  had  eng-aged  in  holiday 
parading  in  "crack"  companies  and  regiments,  and  who. 


80 


doubtless,  believed  that  three  months  of  sen-ice  in  the  field 
would  terminate  the  threatened  struggle.  A  considerable  pro- 
portion, however,  consisted  of  working  men  and  foreigners, 
while  a  not  a  few  of  the  wilder  and  more  irrepressible  class 
found  cheerful  companionship  in  such  organizations  as  Billy 
Wilson's  Zouaves.  The  best  and  bravest  of  the  Northern  com- 
mands were  composed  of  Irish  and  Scotchmen,  as  for  instance, 
the  Sixty-ninth  and  Seventy-ninth  Regiments  of  Xew  York 
State  ]\Iilitia — at  least,  they  gave  Southern  troops  more 
trouble  in  the  field.  ]\Ian}-  of  the  Federal  regiments  were  com- 
pletely and  even  luxuriously  equipped,  one  from  Rhode  Island 
under  command  of  the  young  Governor  of  the  State,  now 
Senator  Sprague,  being  noticeable  in  this  respect.  Others,  on 
the  contrary,  appeared  to  have  been  hurried  to  the  front  with- 
out much  preparation.  The  Twentieth  Xew  York  Regiment, 
Colonel  Pratt,  was  a  good  type  of  this  class.  It  was  stationed 
at  Annapolis  Junction,  ]\Id.,  on  the  line  of  the  Washington  and 
Baltimore  Railroad,  to  prevent  the  ]^Iarylanders  from  tearing 
up  the  rails  and  converting  the  road  into  an  iinproinptu  bone 
grinding  establishment.  The  men  were  chiefly  from  Orange, 
Ulster  and  Westchester  Counties,  and  the  uniform  was  a  mix- 
ture of  gray  and  blue,  with  round  gray  felt  hats,  on  which  were 
ruciely  inscribed  with  charcoal,  the  name  and  number  of  the 
regiment. 

The  commanding  officers  of  these  organizations  were,  m 
many  instances,  selected  from  the  old  army,  and  not  a  few  law- 
yers, local  politicians,  and  men  ambitious  of  promotion  sought 
and  filled  the  subordinate  places.  Subsecjuently,  large  num- 
bers of  these  civilians  Avere  advanced  to  high  grades.  It  is  a 
curious  circumstance  that  scores  of  the  prominent  public  men 
of  the  North,  who  before  the  war  had  been  profuse  in  their 
pledges  of  fealty  to  the  South,  were  among  the  first  to  take 
up  arms  against  her.  Among  these  may  be  mentioned  the  no- 
torious B.  Y,  Butler.  John  Cochrane,  Thomas  Francis 
I\Ieagher  and  Dan.  Sickles. 

It  will  not  be  denied  that  there  existed  all  over  the  coun- 
try at  this  period  a  vast  amount  of  intolerant  zeal — a  species 
of  national  wildncss  which  found  vent  on  both  sides  of  the  Po- 
tomac in  measures  meant  to  compel  every  man  to  "define  his 
position"  and  stick  to  it. 

The  following  incident  will  illustrate  the  diseased  condi- 
tion of  the  public  mind : 


8i 


When  Gen.  Gideon  S.  Pillow,  of  Tennessee,  was  raising 
a  brigade  of  volunteers  for  the  Confederate  army,  he  sent  an 
invitation  to  Parson  Brownlow,  of  Knoxville,  to  act  as  his 
chaplain.  Tlie  reverend  gentleman  replied,  in  his  usually  em- 
phatic style:  "When  I  liave  made  up  my  mind  to  go  to  h— 11, 
I  will  cut  my  throat  and  go  direct,  and  not  travel  around  by 
way  of  the  Southern  Confederacy." 

Public  interest  was  now  concentrating  on  ^lanassas  and 
Harper's  Ferry,  and  troops  were  being  hurried  to  these  points 
in  anticipation  of  an  early  advance  from  Washington. 

The  first  of  these  localities  may  be  described  in  a  sen- 
tence: Mix  together  a  hotel,  half  a  dozen  farm  houses  half  a 
mile  apart,  some  clumps  of  woods,  an  abundance  of  meadow 
land  which  spreads  away  with  undulating  surface,  add  a  rail- 
road track  or  two,  and  in  a  rainy  day  mud  ad  Hbititiii,  and  you 
have  the  Alanassas  Junction  as  it  was  seen  through  Confeder- 
ate eyes  in  May,  1861.  Temporarily,  it  was  the  headquarters 
of  General  Cooke,  commanding  some  of  the  Virginia  State 
troops.  Major  Boyle,  a  well  known  physician  from  Wash- 
ington, D.  C,  was  the  Provost  Alarshal,  and  his  lady  was 
sharing  with  him  the  privations  of  life  in  camp.  It  is  related  of 
her  that  when  the  mob  assailed  her  residence  for  the  purpose 
of  making  her  husband  a  prisoner,  the  noble  woman  sent  word 
that  she  was  "alone  in  the  house,  but  would  fill  a  coffin  with 
the  first  man  who  opened  the  front  door."  Thereupon  the 
crowd  desisted  from  further  demonstration.  oNIrs.  Boyle,  how- 
ever, revolver  in  hand,  remained  on  guard  all  night. 

The  Powhattan  and  Black  Horse  Cavalry,  two  fine  com- 
panies, composed  of  the  flower  of  the  neighboring  country 
gentlemen,  with  their  best  horses,  were  bivouacking  at  Manas- 
sas. They  afterwards  became  celebrated  for  many  a  daring 
deed  in  that  section  of  the  vState.  One  of  the  Alabama  regi- 
ments which  passed  through  Manassas,  oi  route  to  Harper's 
Ferry  at  this  time,  was  composed  of  eleven  hundred  and  sixty 
men,  whose  aggregate  wealth  was  estimated  at  fifteen  millions 
of  dollars.   Two  hundred  servants  accompanied  the  command. 

Speaking  of  the  characteristics  of  the  volunteers  gather- 
ing in  A^irginia,  there  should  not  be  left  out  of  the  category  a 
company  called  the  Grayson  Dare-devils.  Every  member  was 
six  feet  or  upwards  in  heiglit,  and  a  superb  rifle  shot.  Origi- 
nally, the  company  consisted  of  one  hundred  and  thirty-five 
men,  but  tlie  captain  informed  them  that  only  one  hundred 


82 


would  be  allowed  to  go  to  Riehmond.  To  decide  which  of 
them  should  enjoy  that  privilege  they  tired  at  a  mark  running, 
and  those  who  struck  nearest  the  centre  were  allowed  to  come. 
As  a  general  thing,  nearly  all  of  the  Mrginians  and  Georgians 
w  ere  tall,  broad-chested,  noble  looking  fellows.  In  one  com- 
pany of  the  latter,  with  which  the  writer  travelled  from  the 
South,  were  upAvards  of  forty-five  men  six  feet  in  height. 

Persoxxe.  ■ 


DESCRIPTIOX  OF  HARPER-S  FERRY. 

TAKE  a  map  of  A'irginia  and  ^laryland,  place  one 
hnger  tipon  the  Potomac  River  and  another  upon  the 
Shenandoah,  trace  these  streams  imtil  they  unite, 
and  at  the  Junction  you  have  Harper's  Ferry.  As- 
cend an  eminence  which  rises  abruptly  near  this  angle,  until 
it  attains  a  height  of  say  live  hundred  feet,  and  you  will  enjoy 
the  luxury  of  being  astonished  at  one  of  the  most  magnificent 
pictures  in  the  gallery  of  American  scenery.  On  every  side 
is  spread  out  the  changeless  masonry  of  creation — fields  swell- 
ing into  hills,  hills  into  moimtains.  and  mountains  mingling 
with  the  Alps  and  Andes  of  vapor  that  hang  above  their  sum- 
mits. To  tiie  left— high  over  the  little  town  at  your  feet — is 
the  Potomac,  dragging  its  slov\-  length  along  at  the  base  of 
an  almost  perpendicular  clifi".  perhaps  a  thousand  feet  high. 
A  canal  is  just  visible  at  its  base,  looking,  in  the  distance, 
like  a  winding  ribbon  of  brown.  These  are  the  ^Maryland 
Heights,  and  though  it  would  seem  at  this  distance  as  if  noth- 
ing but  a  bird  or  an  echo  could  live  among  the  massive  ledges, 
moss-bound  clefts  and  dense  forests  that  throw  their  shadows 
down,  the  A~irgin:ans  have  filled  its  nooks  and  crannies  with 
artillery,  and  its  woods  with  men.  It  is  a  wild,  weird  spot, 
V\-here  one  m.ay  take  pictures  of  the  rough  faces  of  the  rocks, 
as  fancy  will  sometimes  paint  a  scene  upon  a  frosty  pane. 

On  the  right  the  Shenandoah  is  to  be  seen  making  its 
way  from  among  the  hills,  imtil  it  reaches  the  point  opposite 
the  town  where  it  is  folded  in  the  embrace  of  the  more  mas- 
culine P'otomac.  The  united  streams  now  pass  on  down  a 
broad  aisle  between  mountains  which  some  mighty  convulsion 
of  nature  has  seemed  to  separate  for  the  purpose,  until  the  tor- 


83 


tuotis  windings  are  lost  to  view  among  the  grand  old  rocky 
patriarchs  with  which  the  an"  is  piled  and  terraced. 

Turning  to  the  rear,  the  eye  rests  upon  one  of  the  loveliest 
landscapes  in  the  country — a  scene  wrapped,  as  it  were,  in  a 
perpetual  Sabbath.  Far  in  the  distance,  rising  from  the  misty 
perspective  of  the  picture  is  the  Shenandoah.  A  thousand 
miniature  islands  dot  its  surface,  like  gems  of  green  in  a  set- 
ting of  silver.  Its  bed  is  a  succession  of  rocks  which  lie  in 
almost  mathematically  arranged  strata,  and  as  the  stream 
glides  over  the  brown  tips  that  jet  above  the  surface,  it  leaves 
behind  a  bosom  freckled  with  long  trails  of  foam  that  glisten 
in  the  sunshine.  On  either  side  mountains  descend  to  the 
water's  edge.  Here  and  there  a  road,  winding  among  the 
hills,  is  observable;  and  occasionally  there  is  a  clearing  with 
its  little  cottage,  but  so  far,  far  aw^ay  that  it  resembles  a  mere 
patch  of  white  upon  a  field  of  green„  Nearer  tO'  Harper's 
Ferry  is  the  town  of  Boliver — now  interesting  principally  be- 
cause of  a  picturesque  exhibition  of  tents — the  canvas  homes 
of  our  volunteers. 

The  railroad  by  which  we  arrive  at  Harper's  Ferr}-  from 
Manchester,  skirts,  for  a  considerable  distance,  the  borders  of 
the  Shenandoah,  and  from  the  time  you  touch  the  borders  of 
the  town  until  you  reach  the  depot,  you  pass  continuous  rows 
of  government  work  shops,  and  the  residences  of  the  opera- 
tives and  citizens.  All  these  are  substantial  brick  edifices. 
They  are  located  on  a  narrow  strip  of  level  land,  about  three 
hundred  yards  wide,  which  connects  the  base  of  the  mountain 
Avith  the  margin  of  the  river.  Arriving  at  the  depot,  which  is 
the  point  or  promontory  of  the  town,  there  begins  another 
row  of  w^orkshops  that  continue  in  a  similar  manner  on  the 
Potomac  side  of  the  triangle. 

The  public  and  many  of  the  private  residences  are,  at 
present,  used  as  barracks  by  the  soldiers.  The  headquarters 
of  the  commandant  of  the  post.  Col.  T.  J.  Jackson  ("Stone- 
wall"), are  in  a  mansion  on  an  eminence  which  commands  a 
view  of  the  surrounding  scenery.  Several  thirty-two  pounders, 
under  the  command  of  Captain  Fauntleroy,  an  officer  of  the 
old  navy,  arc  in  position  here. 

From  "Jefferson  Rock,''  a  large  flat  boulder  which  rests 
upon  the  edge  of  a  mountain  like  a  knob  on  the  cover  of  a 
tureen,  the  scene  is  beautiful  beyond  description.  In  the  dis- 
tance are  soft  landscapes,  masterly  old  earth  monarchs,  broad 


84 


black  clilTs  with  noble  rivers  running  like  a  necklace  at  their 
base,  great  continents  of  cloud  and  shadow,  while  far  below, 
in  almost  a  perpendicular  direction,  through  a  vista  of  running 
'  vines  and  flowers,  upholstered  with  tangled  mosses  and  hoary 
rocks.  is  to  be  seen  the  mimic  life  of  the  valley,  the  spider-like 
threads  of  the  railroad,  pigni}-  cars,  puppet  lines  of  soldiers, 
dwarfed  houses  and  baby  gardens — a  veritable  Lilliput  in  dis- 
guise. 

Of  the  troops  here,  eleven  hundred  and  sixty  are  Alabam- 
ians,  fifteen  hundred  are  }vlississippians  and  five  hundred  are 
Kentuckians.  The  remainder  is  composed  of  a  sprinkling 
from  every  State  south  of  IMason's  and  Dixon's  line.  There 
are  also  present  a  goodly  number  of  Baltimore  boys,  who  have 
straggled  hither  by  twos  and  threes,  some  on  foot  and  some 
in  the  cars — for  the  Baltimore  and  Ohio  Railroad  is  still  open 
— to  take  their  place  in  the  approaching  contest.  ^lany  of 
them  represent  the  oldest  families  of  the  State. 

The  Alabamians  are  safely  ensconsed  among  the  moun- 
tams  on  the  ^Maryland  side.  The  regiment  embraces  some  of 
the  wealthiest  and  most  influential  citizens — lawyers,  doctors, 
ministers,  merchants,  editors,  printers  and  planters,  together 
with  a  strong  infusion  of  the  hardy  sinew  of  the  country  dis- 
tricts.   The  ]\Iississippians  are  of  much  the  same  character. 

Among  the  latter  is  a  gentleman  who  has  lost  his  right 
arm  above  the  elbow.  Although  rejected  as  unfit  for  service, 
he  determined  to  follow  the  troops  of  his  State  and  to  take 
part  with  them  in  every  conflict  as  an  independent  fighter.  He 
was  an  officer  in  the  ^\Iexican  war,  and  the  aim  of  his  rifie  is 
still  unerring.  He  pays  his  own  expenses  and  possesses  a  con- 
siderable fortune,  all  of  which  he  proposes  to  give  to  the 
cause. 

The  Kentuckians  are  a  class  by  themselves.  Tliey  are 
generally  large,  well  formed,  robust  fellows,  accustomed  to  the 
hunt,  and  expert  marksmen.  You  can  always  identify  them 
by  a  certain  careless  grace  and  don't-tread-on-my-coat-tail 
sort  of  air  that  is  unmistakable.  AMien  the  Kentuckians  first 
arrived,  being  Avithout  arms,  it  Avas  proposed  to  give  them 
muskets,  but  these  Avere  refused.  The  boys  said  thev  "didn't 
knoAv  hoAv  to  shoot  soger  tools,  and  if  they  couldn't  haA^e  rifles 
they'd  rather  throAv  rocks."  The  regiment  is  probably  one 
of  the  Avorst  drilled  at  Harper's  Ferry,  but  the  fault  is  entirely 
their  own.    They  cannot  see  the  use  of  discipline  ;  will  not  be 


persuaded  to  learn,  and  as  for  forcing  one  of  them  into  any- 
thing hke  a  soldierly  bearing,  why  you  might  as  well  attempt 
to  harness  a  hurricane. 

An  officer  who  visited  their  encampment  remarked  to  a 
little  group  that  he  regretted  so  fine  a  looking  body  of  men 
were  not  better  drilled.  "What's  the  good  o'  that?"  said  one 
of  the  boys.  ''We  come  yere  to  wade  in  anywhar,  and  when 
we  see  a  good  shot,  you  may  bet  your  life,  stranger,  wer'e 
gwine  to  shoot."  "Look  yere,"  continued  the  beef-eater, 
"hyars  our  drill,"  and  taking  out  his  bowie-knife  he  fastened  it 
to  a  tree  with  the  edge  of  the  blade  outwards.  Then,  marching 
off  a  distance  of  sixty  or  seventy  yards,  he  aimed  his  old-fash- 
ioned rifle  and  split  a  bullet  on  the  blade.  "You  see,  stranger, 
if  we  ain't  much  on  sogering,  we  are  powerful  good  at  drawing 
a  bead." 

It  is  said,  perhaps  more  humorously  than  truthfully,  that 
the  Kentuckians  were  requested  to  leave  Maryland  Heights, 
because  they  were  trenching  on  State  sovereignty,  but  that 
Colonel  Duncan  resorted  to  the  novel  expedient  of  leasing  the 
ground  he  wished  to  fight  on  from  the  ozmierl 

The  necessity  of  discipline  is  not  generally  recognized  by 
our  raw  volunteers ;  but  the  wisdom  of  the  president  in  the  se^ 
lection  of  officers  who  have  received  a  military  education  is 
already  manifest.  As  an  instance  of  the  not  uncommon  ver- 
dancy which  exists,  it  is  related  that  as  a  picket  guard  were 
being  detailed  for  duty,  one  of  the  men  stoutly  protested 
against  the  arrangement,  saying:  "Now,  what's  the  use  of 
gwine  out  thar  to  keep  everybody  off.  We've  all  kim  down 
hyar  to  have  a  fight  with  the  Yankees,  and  if  yer  keep  fellers 
out  thar  to  scare  'um  off,  how  in  thunder  are  we  gwine  to  have 
a  skrimmage?   Taint  no  use,  no  how." 

A  visit  through  the  various  barracks  occupied  by  the 
volunteers  is  well  worth  the  trouble.  Wherever  they  are  lo- 
cated, whether  in  private  houses  or  in  the  denuded  workshops, 
they  have  dropped  into  their  places  with  a  read}"  adaptability 
to  circumstances.  Men  worth  their  hundreds  of  thousands 
sleep  side  by  side  with  the  poorest  comrade,  sharing  with  him 
the  privation  of  the  hour.  Gentlemen  who  never  slept  off  a 
mattress  before,  here  stretch  out  upon  the  hard  boards  with 
a  knapsack  for  a  pillow  and  blanket  for  a  quilt.  For  the  first 
time  in  their  lives,  probably,  they  bring  their  own  water,  grind 
their  own  coffee,  wash  their  own  linen,  and  perform  a  thou- 


86 


sand  functions  which  at  home  had  been  the,-  task  of  servants. 

The  guardhouse  is  the  small  edifice  in  which  old  John 
Brovv  U — whose  soul  is  supposed  to  be  marching  on — made 
his  defence.  Its  outer  walls  are  thickly  scarred  with  the  marks 
of  rifle  balls.  The  loops  through  vvhich  he  fired  still  remain, 
and  no  attempt  has  been  made  to  alter  the  historic  interest 
of  the  place,  save  in  the  application  of  a  coat  of  whitewash 
throughout  the  interior,  for  the  purpose  of  ef¥acmg  the  stains 
of  blood  which  bespattered  the  walls. 

Preparations  for  the  supply  of  arms  and  ammunition  are 
actively  progressing.  ]\Itich  powder  has  been  brought  from 
Alaryland.  Recently  two  Irishmen  from  the  vicinity  of  Balti- 
more drove  a  load  across  the  country  in  a  four-horse  team. 
To  conceal  it  from  view  the  powder  was  covered  with  iron  ore. 
Whenever  ''a  strange  sail"  hove  in  sight  the  tw^o  Emeralders 
suddenly  showed  signs  of  being  on  the  j oiliest  kind  of 
"drunk,"  and  so  remained  until  the  danger  was  passed,  when 
they  pushed  forward  with  all  speed. 

Another  ruse  was  successfully  practiced  by  a  lady  on  her 
way  South  from  Philadelphia.  Strapped  under  her  crinoline 
she  brought  with  her  as  many  revolvers  as  she  could  conven- 
iently carry.  It  was  not  until  she  reached  Harper's  Ferry  that 
she  dared  to  relieve  herself  of  the  cumbrous  load  and  pack  the 
articles  in  her  trunk. 

Among  other  ladies  who  have  made  themselves  conspicu- 
ous in  the  patriotic  work  of  stipplying  our  men  with  arms  is 
Mrs.  Bradley  T.  Johnson,  of  Frederic,  Md.  She  brought  with 
her  to  Harper's  Ferry  five  hundred  Mississippi  rifles,  five  htm- 
dred  dollars  in  cash,  three  thousand  and  two  hundred  cart- 
ridges and  ten  thousand  percussion  caps.  Several  swords  and 
flags  have  "run  the  blockade"  in  the  same  manner. 

Among  the  troops  recently  arrived  is  a  battery  of  artillery 
commanded  by  Rev.  Mr.  Pendleton,  of  Lexington,  a  graduate 
of  West  Point.  Cadets  from  the  State  Institute  are  also  here 
drilling  the  troops,  and  it  is  no  uncommon  spectacle  to  see 
these  beardless  youths  instructing  aged  men  in  the  art  of  war. 

There  is  reason  to  believe  that  it  is  not  the  design  of  Gen. 
Joseph  E.  Johnston;  who  is  in  command,  to  hold  Harper's 
Ferry.  It  is  only  important  with  reference  to  present  strat- 
egic purposes,  and  a  flank  movement  by  the  Federals,  which 
will,  unquestionabh",  soon  be  made,  will  result  in  an  evacua- 
tion. 


87 


The  following  notes,  taken  at  the  time,  will  give  the 
reader  an  idea  of  the  situation  during  the  early  days  of  the 
struggle: 

Manassas,  May  24th. — Virginia  is  at  last  invaded.  From 
five  to  eight  thousand  Federal  troops  last  night  occupied  Al- 
exandria. So  rapid  were  their  movements  that  nearly  an 
entire  company  of  our  cavalry  were  captured.  One  man  alone 
resisted,  and  he  paid  the  forfeit  of  his  life.  A  Confederate  flag 
waving  from  the  top  of  the  Marshall  House,  had  long  been 
visible  at  the  presidential  mansion  in  Washington.  Lincoln 
having  expressed  his, indignation  thereat.  Colonel  Ellsworth, 
of  the  Zouaves,  a  young  man  who  attended  the  president 
during  his  tour  to  Washington,  promised  to  lay  the  obnox- 
ious bunting  at  his  patron's  feet.  John  W.  Jackson,  the  pro- 
prietor of  the  hotel,  on  the  contrary,  had  declared  that  while 
he  had  strength  to  defend  it,  that  banner  should  never  be 
taken  down  by  an  enemy's  hand.  On  entering  the  town  Ells- 
worth, with  a  squad  of  his  Zouaves,  at  once  made  his  way  into 
the  hotel,  ascended  to  the  roof,  secured  the  flag,  and  wrapping 
it  around  his  body,  started  to  return.  It  was  not  yet  morn- 
ing, and  Jackson,  who  had  been  aroused  from  his  slumber  oy 
the  noise,  armed  himself  with  a  double-barrelled  gun,  and, 
half  dressed,  emerged  from  his  room.  In  a  moment  he  stood 
face  to  face  with  Eflsworth  and  his  attendant  soldiers.  "This 
is  my  trophy,"  said  the  Federal  commander.  "And  you  are 
mine,"  instantly  replied  the  brave  Jackson,  accompanying  the 
words  with  a  discharge  of  both  barrels  of  his  weapon  full 
into  the  breast  of  Ellsworth.  The  next  moment  Jackson  him- 
self received  a  bullet  through  the  brain  and  a  bayonet  thrust 
through  the  body,  and  sank  a  sorpse  by  the  side  of  his 
victim. 

(Before  dismissing  this  incident  it  is  proper  to  add  that 
the  tidings  of  the  event,  when  made  known,  aroused  the 
heartfelt  sympathy  of  the  entire  Southern  people.  In  every 
State  liberal  contributions  were  subscribed  as  a  tribute  to  the 
family  of  the  dead  hero,  and  his  memory  has  been  cherished 
not  merely  as  that  of  a  brave  man  who  died  defending  his 
own  hearthstone,  but  a  martyr  who  calmly  and  without  pas- 
sion laid  down  his  life  to  maintain  a  principle  which  the  heart 
of  the  nation  had  enunciated). 

Manassas,  May  27th. — The  troops  now  here  are  under 
the  command  of  Gen.  M.  L.  Bonham,  of  South  Carolina,  and 


88 


embrace  the  two  South  Carohna  Regiments,  under  Colonels 
Gregg  and  Kershaw,  and  several  \drginia  Regiments.  The 
work  of  entrenching  has  already  commenced  on  Bull  Run,  a 
narrow  stream,  fordable  only  at  certain  points.  The  enemy 
are  also  entrenching  on  the  various  eminences  in  the  subtu'bs 
of  Alexandria,  and  their  pickets  are  posted  several  miles  out 
of  town.  Gneral  ^McDowell  is  in  command  of  the  Federal 
forces,  and  Gen.  Ben.  F.  Butler  has  been  assigned  to  the 
vicinity  of  Fortress  3^Ionroe.  These  two  points  now  promise 
to  be  of  the  greatest  military  interest,  being  the  main  avenues 
to  the  interior  of  the  State. 

ARRR\\L  OF  GENERAL  BEAUREGARD. 

]\Ianassas,  June  i. — Two  events  mark  this  day.  First,  a 
night  dash  by  Lieut.  Charles  Tompkins,  of  the  regitlar  ser- 
A'ice.  with  a  bodv  of  dragoons,  into  Fairfax  Cotirthouse — a 
mad,  rash,  fruitless  sortie  upon  an  outpost,  in  which  the 
enemy  left  behind  a  dozen  or  more,  killed,  wounded  and  pris- 
oners. Our  only  loss  was  in  the  death  of  Capt.  John  0.  ^\Iarr, 
of  the  "\\'arrenton  Rifles,  one  of  the  rising  young  men  of  Mr- 
ginia.  Second,  our  first  fight  between  a  land  batter}-  and 
Federal  steamers.  Four  of  the  latter  made  a  demonstration 
on  Captain  AA'alker's  position  at  Acjuia  Creek,  and  after  firing 
five  himdred  and  ninety  shots  retired.  Fortifications  are  in 
course  of  construction  along  the  banks  of  the  Potomac  for 
the  purpose  of  blockading  the  river. 

General  Beauregard  has  arrived,  assumed  command,  and 
issued  a  stirring  proclamation  to  the  people  of  Loudon,  Fair- 
fax and  Prince  \Mlliam  Comities,  "in  tlie  name  of  the  Con- 
federate States,  the  sacred  cause  of  constitutional  liberty  and 
in  behalf  of  civilization  and  humanity." 

Our  scotits  and  guerillas  have  already  commenced  work. 
One  of  these  commands,  about  forty  Mrginians  from 
Fauquier  County,  all  admirably  equipped  and  mounted. 
Being  acquainted  with  every  cowpath  in  the  country,  scarcely 
a  day  passes  in  which  parties  of  curious  and  adventurous  Fed- 
erals are  not  encountered  and  punished.  The  motto  of  the 
captain  is — quaintly  enough — '"Xever  allow  yourself  to  be 
killed.  Death  is  disgrace — to  kill  an  enemy,  glory,  li  a 
successful  stand  cannot  be  made,  retreat;  but  when  you  re- 
treat, pick  ofi:  a  foe." 


89- 


REMOVAL  OF  SEAT  OF  GOVERNMENT. 


Richmond,  June  5. — The  seat  of  government  has  been 
moved  from  Montgomery  to  this  city,  and  every  hour  dem- 
onstrates the  importance  of  the  change.  President  Davis,  for 
the  time  being,  has  taken  the  place  of  a  general-m-chief.  Al- 
though a  v^-^eek  has  not  elapsed  since  his  arrival,  evidences  of 
his  energy  are  apparent  on  all  sides.  He  has  sent  such 
thrilling  words  to  the  South  that  every  train  of  cars  brings 
to  Virginia  a  regiment  of  men.  He  has  revised  old  and  made 
new  plans;  weakened  this  position  and  strengthened  that;  or- 
dered new  reconnoisances ;  commenced  fortifications  at  points 
before  unthought  of;  set  troops  in  motion  to  the  remotest 
limits  of  the  Confederacy;  held  cabinet  consultations,  and 
found  time  to  make  speeches  to  the  public  and  receive  the 
congratulations  of  entluisiastic  thousands.  In  short,  he  has 
inspired  confidence  in  every  heart  and  infused  fresh  life  into 
every  department  of  the  political  and  military  structure.  Jef- 
ferson Davis  is  indeed  proving  himself  emphatically  "the 
man  for  the  times" — a  clear-headed,  hard-working  patriot — 
the  incarnation  and  embodiment  of  the  struggle  about  to  com- 
mence. 

The  city  is  overflowing-  with  strangers.  Hotels  and  pri- 
A^ate  houses  fail  to  accommodate  the  multitude,  and  lucky  is 
that  man  who  can  afford  to  decline  the  hospitality  which  puts 
three  in  a  bed.  All  is  hurry  and  bustle.  The  community 
could  scarcely  be  more  lively  if  it  were  a  confederation  of 
steel  springs. 

Among  the  arrivals  of  the  last  week  are  the  New  Orleans 
Zouaves,  who  have  been  stationed  at  Pensacola,  six  hundred 
and  thirty  strong;  the  most  picturesque,  ugly,  indescribable 
looking  set  of  dare-devils  ever  seen  in  this  portion  of  America. 
The  majority  of  them  are  Frenchmen,  muscular,  wiry,  active 
as  squirrels,  brown  as  Malays,  full  of  aquafortis,  and  possess- 
ing much  of  the  clan  of  the  genuine  French  "Zou  Zou." 
They  are  by  far  the  most  dangerous  looking  body  of  men  yet 
brought  into  the  field.  Their  uniform  is  similar  to  that  of 
their  GalHc  namesakes,  consisting  of  embroidered  blue  jack- 
ets, red  baggy  breeches  and  white  gaiters,  the  whole  sur- 
mounted by  a  red  fez  skull  cap,  which  rests  jauntily  on  the 
back  of  their  shaven  heads,  and  ends  in  a  blue  tassel  dangling 
between  the  shoulder  blades.    Their  great  desire  is  to  meet 


90 


th  "pet  lambs"  of  Colonel  Ellsworth.  They  will,  probably  be 
sent  to  Yorktown. 

Richmond,  June  7. — Tidings  have  been  received  here  of 
anotlier  surprise  of  our  troops.  Since  the  beginning  of  the 
struggle  the  nonhwestern  portion  of  \^irginia  has  been  divided 
in  sentiment  and  purpose.  Settled  principally  by  men  from 
Ohio,  Pennsylvania  and  Xew  England,  who,  though  owning 
slave  property,  sympathized  with  the  Union  or  endeavored 
to  preserve  a  neutrality,  there  has  sprung  up  between  this 
class  and  the  genuine  Mrginians,  loyal  to  their  State  and 
birthright,  living  in  that  region,  a  controversy,  in  which  the 
latter  represent  a  comparatively  helpless  minority.  This  po- 
litical antagonism  has  been  eagerly  seized  upon  by  the  leaders 
who,  cooperating  with  the  Lincoln  government,  have  con- 
trived to  make  the  northwestern  counties  a  base  of  operations. 
AMieeling  was  occupied  as  early  as  the  21st  of  ^lay,  and  on 
the  30th — only  one  week  ago— a  force  of  Confederates  were 
obliged  to  evacuate  Grafton  before  the  advance  of  three  thou- 
sand Federals,  who  thereupon  took  possession.  Our  troops 
v*ere  luider  the  command  of  Colonel  Porterfield.  who  had 
been  instructed  to  call  for  volunteers  from  that  section  to 
the  number  of  fi^'e  thousand.  But  the  nortliAvest  was  in  a  state 
of  revolution  and  they  were  not  to  be  had.  Few  among  the 
companies  organized  for  home  defence  were  will  ng-  to  take 
up  arms  in  favor  of  the  South.  After  considerable  exertion, 
liowever,  five  hundred  infantry  and  about  one  hundred  and 
fifty  cavalry  were  assembled,  and  these  constituted  the  entire 
army  of  V\>st  A'irginia.  Here  intelligence  was  brought  to 
him  by  two  young  ladies,  named  3.1iss  }^Iary  ]\IcLeod  and 
Miss  Abbie  Kerr,  who,  imattended.  rode  a  distance  of  twenty- 
five  miles  lor  the  purpose,  tliat  the  enemy  were  about  to  pur- 
sue and  attack  him  again. 

For  some  reason,  however,  the  command  did  not  move 
at  once,  and  the  Federals,  three  thousand  strong,  advanced, 
and  from  the  opposite  side  of  Taggart's  A'alley  River,  opened 
on  the  Confederate  camp  early  the  next  day  (Monday, 
Tune  3d). 

The  startled  troops  formed  as  quickly  as  possible  under 
the  circumstances,  and  took  position  by  companies  on  either 
side  of  the  road.  A  charge  of  the  Bath  Cavalry,  under  Cap- 
tain Richards,  held  the  enemy  in  temporary  check,  but  the 
resistance  was  of  little  avail,  and  after  a  running  fight  from 


91 


behind  bushes,  fences  and  other  covers,  in  which  the  locaUty 
abounded.  Colonel  Porterfield  retreated  to  the  village  of  Bev- 
erly, thirty-two  miles  distant.  The  casualties  of  the  Confed- 
erates were  seven  killed,  fifteen  or  twenty  wounded,  and  a 
loss  of  one  hundred  and  fifty  rifles.  Among  the  Federals, 
Colonel  Kelley  was  desperately  wounded. 

The  young  ladies  above  referred  to  remained  in  the  town, 
at  the  house  of  an  acc[uaintance.  Suspecting  from  the  man- 
ner of  the  latter  that  there  was  some  one  concealed  on  the 
premises,  they  made  a  search  and  found  up  stairs  the  Confed- 
erate soldier  who  had  shot  Colonel  Kelley,  hiding  from  the 
enemy.  His  escape  was  at  once  decided  upon,  and  after  dis- 
guising him  in  some  old  clothes,  they  put  a  bucket  of  soap 
suds  in  his  hands  and  bade  the  man  follow,  which  he  did, 
until  safely  beyond  the  limits  of  the  town. 

The  gentleman  by  whom  the  above  narration  was  made, 
adds  that  no  one  not  on  the  spot  can  appreciate  the  terrorism 
that  prevails  in  Northwest  Virginia  wherever  the  Union  sen- 
timent is  rampant.  Men  of  respectability  who  have  occupied 
places  of  trust  and  honor  in  the  State  are  being  driven  from 
their  homes ;  neighbors  are  turning  against  each  other,  and  life 
is  unsafe  even  within  the  sanctity  of  the  family  circle. 

But  the  spirit  of  the  true  Virginian  is  not  dead  yet.  My 
informant,  before  reaching  Staunton,  passed  a  barefooted  old 
gentleman  nearly  seventy  years  of  age,  who,  accompanied  by 
his  family,  was  driving  his  cattle,  sheep  and  household  effects 
to  a  place  of  safety. 

A  conversation  ensued  during  which  the  brave  old  man 
made  tlie  following  remark:  "Sir,  I  am  sixty-eight  years  of 
age,  and  I  am  now  conveying  n)y  wife  and  children  to  the 
eastern  part  of  the  State,  where  they  will  be  secure  from  dan- 
ger. When  this  is  done  I  shall  return,  and,  if  necessary,  the 
last  act  of  my  life  shall  be  in  behalf  of  Virginia.  My  home 
may  be  laid  in  ashes,  but  God  willing,  /  sJiall  die  defending  my 
fence.'' 

Personne. 


92 


BATTLE  OF  BETHEL. 


WE  RESL'^IE  our  narrative  of  the  early  days  of 
the  Avar,  and  quote  from  the  diary  then  pre- 
pared. It  may  be  added,  paientheticahy,  that 
this  plan  is  deemed  more  acceptable  to  the 
reader  than  any  other,  because,  carrying  the  mind,  as  it  were, 
into'  the  living  present,  the  freshness  of  the  event  and  the  as- 
sociations of  the  hour  are  preserved. 

Yorktown,  A^a..  June  ii.  1861. — The  first  important  en- 
gagement of  the  war  took  place  yesterday  at  Bethel  Church, 
eleven  miles  this  side  of  the  village  of  Hampton,  on  the  road 
leading  from  YorktOAvn  to  ihe  latter  place.  Hampton  and 
Newport  Xews,  both  near  Fortress  ^LDnroe,  were  occupied 
by  the  Federals  on  the  25th  of  ]\Iay.  Since  that  time  the  latter 
have  made  frequent  excin"sions  into  the  interior.  About  two 
weeks  ago  three  hundred  entered  Bethel  Church,  remained  a 
day  or  tAvo,  and  on  retiring  left  the  Avails  of  the  sacred  edifice 
covered  Avitii  tlie  most  profane  and  licentious  inscriptions. 
The  otticer  in  command  of  tiie  post.  Col,  J.  Bankhead  ^lagru- 
der,  a  distinguished  officer  of  the  old  army,  determined  to  put 
an  end  to  this  system  of  predatory  Avarfare,  and  accordingly, 
on  the  /  th  inst..  ordered  from  YorktOAvn  the  First  Xorth  Car- 
olina Regiment,  Col.  D.  FL  Hill,  and  four  pieces  of  rviajor 
Randolph's  HoAvitzer  BattaHon  to  take  possession  of  the 
place.    The  character  of  the  ground  may  be  briefly  described. 

A  short  distance  in  front  of  the  old  church,  the  only 
building  near,  is  a  branch  of  the  Black  River,  running  at  right 
angles  to  the  road,  and  encircling  our  right  flank.  On  our 
left  Avas  an  open  old  field  filled  Avith  stumps,  and  beyond  a 
dense  Avood  Avhich  coA'ered  both  banks  of  the  stream.  The 
ground  on  either  side  of  the-  latter  Avas  in  spots  miry  and 
almost  nnpassible.  Across  the  branch  Avas  an  immense  field, 
fringed  in  the  rear  Avitli  heavy  Avoods,  out  of  Avhich  the  enemy 
could  deploy  and  command  our  position.  On  the  road  near 
these  Avoods.  about  six  hundred  yards  from  the  church.  Avas 
a  small  dAvelling.  In  anticipation  of  an  attempt  to  force  the 
bridge  an  earthAvork  Avas  throAvn  up  near  the  road  in  front  of 
the  church,  and  the  guns  of  the  battery  so  planted  as  to  SAveep 
every  avenue  of  approach.  Across  the  creek,  on  a  slight  emi- 
nence to  the  right,  another  small  fortification  Avas  erected  to 
protect  a  single  gun. 


93 


Skirmishes  took  place  on  the  8th  and  9th  inst.  between 
small  bodies  of  our  men  under  command  of  Lieutenant-Colo- 
nel Lee,  Major  Lane,  Captain  McDowell  and  Lieutenant  Rob- 
erts, and  at  three  o'clock  yesterday  morning  information  was 
brought  of  the  advance  of  the  army  in  force.  Colonel  Magru- 
der  arrived  at  the  scene  of  action  and  assumed  command  on 
Monday.  Lieutenant-Colonel  Stewart,  of  the  Third  Virginia 
Regiment,  having  joined  the  North  Carolinians  with  one 
hundred  and  eighty  men,  was  now  stationed  on  the  hill  on  the 
extreme  right  beyond  the  creek.  A  company  was  also  detailed 
to  the  same  position  to  protect  a  howitzer  under  Captain 
Brown.  Captain  Bridges,  of  Company  A,  First  North  Caro- 
lina Regiment,  was  posted  in  a  dense  wood  on  the  left  of  the 
bridge.  Major  Montague,  with  three  companies,  defended 
the  right,  his  line  beginning  at  the  church.  Our  total  force 
numbered  about  twelve  hundred.  The  enemy  were  under  the 
command  of  General  Pierce,  of  Massachusetts,  and  consisted 
of  the  First,  Second  and  Third  New  York  Regiments,  com- 
manded by  Colonels  Duryea,  Tompkins  and  Town  send,  the 
Fourth  Massachusetts,  First  Vermont,  and  Seventh  and  Ninth 
New  York  Volunteer  Regiments,  numbering  altogether  about 
forty-five  hundred  men. 

The  columns  of  the  Federals  were  seen  approaching 
at  nine  oVlock,  and  at  a  quarter  after  nine  Major  Randolph 
opened  on  them  with  his  artillery.  Their  ranks  broke  in  con- 
fusion, but  quickly  rallying,  a  vigorous  fire  was  opened  on 
us  from  a  battery  stationed  near  the  small  dwelling,  to  which 
allusion  has  been  made.  The  Federals  now  deployed  under 
cover  of  the  woods,  with  a  view  to  turn  our  right  flank,  but 
were  promptly  repelled.  Under  the  cover  of  the  woods  an- 
other attempt,  by  a  force  estimated  at  fifteen  hundred,  was 
made  to  get  in  the  rear  of  Lieutenant-Colonel  Stewart.  The 
latter  was  accordingly  ordered  to  fall  back.  Previous  to  this 
a  priming  wire  had  broke  in  the  howitzer  commanded  by  Cap- 
tain Brown,  which  rendered  it  useless,  and  the  retirement  of 
our  forces  for  a  moment  abandoned  the  work  to  the  enemy, 
who  instantly  occupied  it  with  their  Zouaves.  We  had  not 
yet  lost  a  man,  but  it  was  one  of  the  most  critical  periods  of 
the  action.  At  this  juncture  Captain  Bridges  was  ordered  to 
leave  his  position  in  the  swamp  and  reoccupy  the  work  at  any 
hazard,  which  was  gallantly  done  in  the  face  of  a  galling  fire, 
the  Zouaves  running  as  our  troops  dashed  forward  at  a 


94 


double-quick.  Lieutenant-Colonel  Stewart,  by  order  of  Colo- 
nel ^lagruder,  also  reoccupied  the  entrenchments,  and  a  fresh 
howitzer  having,  been  carried  over,  the  fight  again  raged. 

The  Federals,  finding  that  they  could  make  no  impression 
on  our  right,  now  turned  their  attention  to  the  left,  their  ob- 
ject evidently  being  to  get  over  the  creek  and  carry  our  en- 
trenchments there  by  assault.  To  accomplish  this  design  and 
deceive  our  men  the  enemy  had  put  on  our  distinctiAX  badge 
of  a  white  band  around  the  cap,  and  those  in  advance  repeat- 
edly cried  out:  "Don't  fire,  don't  Hre."  They  likewise  began 
to  cheer  as  if  they  had  acconiphshed  the  purpose  of  their  dem- 
onstration. The  North  Carolinians,  however,  met  them  with 
the  steadiness  of  veterans  and  picked  off  officers  and  men  with 
an  almost  unerring  aim.  As  if  disdaining  the  protections  of 
entrenchments,  they  would  stand  upon  the  parapet,  and  while 
the  bullets  were  whizzing  around  them,  calmly  single  out  their 
mark  and  fire.  In  the  language  of  the  official  report,  "they 
were  all  in  liigh  glee  and  seemed  to  enjoy  it  as  much  as  boys 
do  rabbit  shooting." 

At  the  head  of  the  assaulting  column  was  Major  Win- 
throp,  an  aide-de-camp  of  -General  Butler,  and  the  fearless 
manner  in  which  he  exposed  his  life,  while  cheering  on  his 
scattered  troops,  elicited  the  admiration  of  the  Confederates. 
Standing  on  a  stun:p  within  fifty  yards  of  our  entrenchments, 
and  waving  his  sword  above  his  head,  he  gallantly  offered 
himself  as  a  target  to  our  riflemen.  "There's  your  mark,  bring 
him  down,''  said  a  colonel,  and  the  next  moment  a  rifle  ball 
pierced  his  heart.  With  the  fall  of  this  officer,  the  fight — 
which,  at  this  point,  lasted  for  thirty  minutes — ceased,  and 
the  discouraged  enemy  commenced  their  retreat.  The  house 
in  front,  AvhicJi  had  served  as  a  hiding  place,  was  now  set  on 
fire  by  a  shell. 

The  Federals,  having  thrown  out  a  strong  detachment 
to  protect  their  rear,  pursuit  could  not  be  immediately  com- 
menced: but  as  soon  as  the  woods  were  cleared.  Captain  Dou- 
thatt,  with  one  hundred  cavalry,  followed.  The  enemy  in  their 
haste,  strewed  the  road  with  haversacks,  canteens,  knapsacks, 
overcoats,  etc..  and  even  the  dead  were  thrown  out  of  the 
wagons.  The  pursuit  was  only  ended  by  the  tearing  up  of 
a  bridge  in  their  rear,  which  eftectually  barred  further  prog- 
ress. 

During  the  fight  manv  instances  of  personal  gallantry 


95 


occurred.  Prominent  among  these  was  the  case  of  a  young 
man  named  Henry  L.  Wyatt,  of  North  CaroHna,  who,  with 
four  others,  vohmteered  to  advance  beyond  our  hues,  and  set 
the  sn.  ill  dwelling  on  fire.  Starting  on  his  perilous  mission  in 
advance  of  his  comrades,  he  arrived  within  thirty  yards  of 
the  house,  when  he  was  shot  through  the  head.  This  was  our 
only  loss  in  killed  during  the  engagement.  Seven  were 
slightly  wounded. 

The  loss  of  the  enemy  in  killed  and  wounded  was  re- 
ported to  Colonel  Magruder  by  the  bearer  of  a  flag  of  truce 
as  being  two  hundred  and  thirty-four.  A  considerable  num- 
l^er  of  the  enemy's  dead  were  buried  on  the  field  by  our  men. 
The  great  disparity  in  the  casualties  is  due  to  the  fact  that  our 
troops  were  com.paratively  well  protected  by  entrenchments; 
but  they  nevertheless  labored  under  the  disadvantage  of  being 
frequently  unable  to  see  the  persons  of  the  enemy,  who  were 
nearly  all  the  time  effectually  concealed  in  the  thick  growth 
through  which  they  advanced  to  the  attack.  Our  men  were 
thus  often  compelled  to-  receive  a  fire  that  could  not  be  efTect- 
ually  returned,  a  test  which,  tlthough  severe  in  its  applica- 
tion to  raw  volunteers,  was  bravely  and  brilliantly  endured. 

The  object  of  the  enemy  in  making  this  demonstration, 
as  appears  from  the  statement  of  an  intelligent  deserter,  was 
to  capture  our  small  force  and  march  on  to  Yorktown.  In 
the  language  of  one  of  the  prisoners,  they  thought  they  ''were 
able  to  whip^-  the  North  Carolinians  with  corn-stalks,"  and 
when  they  came  upon  the  field  the  ''ki-yi's"  of  the  Zouaves 
and  derisive  laughter  could  be  heard  running  through  their 
lines.  The  first  volley  from  the  North  Carolinians,  however, 
dispelled  the  hallucination.  There  were  individual  instances 
among  the  Yankees  of  good  fighting  and  personal  bravery. 

The  death  of  Major  Winthrop,  although  an  enemy,  is 
almost  universally  regretted,  and  every  honor  has  been  paid 
to  his  remiains  due  to  a  dead  hero  by  a  chivalrous  antagonist. 
Information  of  the  event  was  promptly  communicated  to  Gen- 
eral Butler,  and  when  the  body  was  removed,  under  a  flag  of 
truce,  to  Fortress  A'lonroe,  a  guard  of  honor  w^as  tendered  by 
Colonel  Magruder  to  accompany  the  remains  to  Hampton. 
The  act  was  not  called  for  by  the  circumstances,  but  it  illus- 
trated the  admiration  which  a  Southern  man  has  for  a  brave 
foe. 

The  scene  after  the  battle,  to  one  unaccustomed  to  spec- 


96 


tacles  of  this  nature,  vras  frightful.  In  the  swamp  through 
which  the  Xew  York  Zouaves  advanced  to  assault  our  lines, 
there  were  bodies  dotting  the  black  morass  from  one  end  to 
the  other,  and  the  gay  uniforms  contrasted  strangely  with  the 
pallid  faces  of  their  dead  owners.  One  boyish,  delicate  look- 
ing fellow  was  l}'ing  in  the  swamp  Avith  a  bullet  hole  through 
his  breast.  The  left  hand  was  pressed  on  the  wound  from 
which  his  life-blood  had  poured;  the  other  was  convulsively 
clenched  in  the  weeds  that  grew  arotmd  him.  Lying  on  the 
ground  was  a  Testament,  that  had  fallen  from  his  pocket, 
dabbled  with  blood.  Inside  the  cover  was  the  printed  inscrip- 
tion: "Presented  to  the  defenders  of  their  country  by  the 
Xew  York  Bible  Society."'  A  United  States  flag  was  also 
stamped  on  the  title  page. 

The  number  of  Confederates  actually  engaged  was  less 
than  five  hundred.  It  was  apprehended  diu'ing  the  engage- 
ment that  the  enemy  would  attempt  to  make  a  detour  around 
our  lines,  so  as  to  bring  them  between  two  fires.  And  a  por- 
tion of  our  force  was  therefore  detailed  to  prevent  the  execu- 
tion of  this  design.  Had  it  not  been  for  the  lack  of  men,  the 
Federals  would  have  been  promptly  pursued,  and  the  victory 
rendered  even  more  decisive  than  it  was. 

It  is  worthy  of  record  that  the  Fayetteville  Light  Infan- 
try, one  hundred  and  fifteen  strong,  of  the  First  Xorth  Caro- 
lina Regiment,  was  organized  in  1793,  under  the  administra- 
tion of  General  AA'ashington.  and  has  in  its  ranks  several  de- 
scendants of  its  revolutionary  members.  Another  company, 
the  Lafayette  Light  Infantry,  one  hundred  and  ten  strong, 
performed  its  first  feat  in  arms,  near  Yorktown  in  the  Revolu- 
tion. Another  companv  from  Buncombe  County,  was  led  by 
Captain  3vIcDowell.  a  lineal  descendant  of  one  of  the  heroes 
of  King's  "\Iountain.  S.  C.  Another  company  from  Orange 
County,  was  led  by  Captain  Ashe,  whose  ancestors  fought  in 
the  battle  of  Savannah.  This  Revolutionary  stock  is  freely 
distribtited  through  the  Regiment.  It  is  a  significant  fact 
that  before  going  into  battle  the  whole  Regiment  engaged 
in  prayer. 

Richmond,  June  14th. — The  news  of  the  recent  repulse 
of  the  Federals  at  Bethel  Church  has  fallen  on  the  Xorth  like 
a  thunderbolt.  The  first  tidings  were  of  victory  ;  and  the  X^ew 
\ork  "Flerakl''  in  glowing  capitals,  announced  the  capture  of 
one  thousand  rebels,  and  two  batteries  respectivelv  mounting 


97 


seven  and  fourteen  guns.  But  since  the  receipt  of  the  details 
of  the  defeat  and  loss,  the  press  is  boiling  with  unusually  delir- 
ious rage. 

The  effect  upon  the  South  is  encouraging.  While  the 
importance  of  the  engagement  is  greatly  magnified,  it  has 
lifted  a  weight  from  every  heart.  Heretofore  we  have  experi- 
enced little  else  than  a  series  of  surprises.  When  Anderson 
walked  from  Fort  Moultrie  into  Sumter,  it  was  a  "surprise." 
When  troops  remforced  Fort  Pickens,  it  was  a  "surprise."' 
When  Fortress  Monroe  was  reinforced,  it  was  a  "surprise." 
When  Ellsworth  and  his  Zouaves  marched  into  Alexandria, 
it  was  a  "surprise."  The  landing  at  Newport  News  was  a 
"surprise."  The  occupation  of  Grafton  was  a  "surprise." 
And,  lastly,  the  attack  at  Phillippa  was  a  "surprise."  In  the 
language  of  the  New  York  "Flerald,"  "the  glory  of  the  reduc- 
tion of  Fort  Sumter  is  more  than  eclipsed  by  the  flight  of  the 
rebels  from  every  entrenchment  that  has  been  approached  by 
a  Federal  force."  But  the  victory  at  Bethel  Church  has 
turned  the  gloomy  current  into  livelier  channels,  and  with  an 
army  organization  rapidly  attaining  excellence,  there  are  no 
longer  fears  for  the  result.  Thus  far,  we  have  witnessed  sim- 
ply the  arrangement  of  the  men  upon  the  chess-board.  The 
strategy  of  the  game  is  yet  to  commence. 

Trophies  of  the  late  fight  abound  in  the  windows  of  Rich- 
mond, broken  muskets,  swords,  caps,  haversacks,  knives, 
forks,  daguerreotypes,  letters,  etc.  The  most  valuable  of  these 
is  a  case  of  surgical  mstruments  which  the  proprietor  left  be- 
hind while  measuring  off  the  ground  on  a  lively  pair  of  legs. 
The  unusual  spectacle  attracts  crowds  of  curious  spectators. 

An  incident  is  current,  characteristic  of  the  spirit  of  the 
ladies  in  these  troublous  times: 

Two  daughters  of  the  late  Judge  Clopton,  of  this  State, 
had  a  servant  hired  at  Fortress  Monroe,  and  could  not  obtain 
possession  of  her  by  letter.  They  accordingly  determined  to 
apply  in  person.  Being  rovv^ed  over  to  the  fortress,  they 
sought  admittance.  The  sentinel  refused.  They  insisted; 
whereupon  they  were  told  they  would  be  fired  upon.  "Fire, 
then!"  was  the  bold  response,  as  the  ladies  entered  the  fortress. 
A  conversation  ensued  inside,  during  which  they  told  the 
officers  they  had  heard  that  the  Hampton  people  would  not  be 
permitted  to  throw  up  entrenchments,  but  that  it  should  be 
done  if  the  ladies  had  to  do  it,  and  they  would  head  a  com- 

98 


panv'  for  the  purpose.  The  officers  remarked  that  if  the  ^Misses 
Clopton  Avere  specimens  of  the  rest  of  their  sex.  the  men  of 
Hampton  must  be  unconquerable. 

Ex-Governor  Henry  A.  \\'ise,  of  Mrginia.  is  at  present 
in  the  city  organizing  a  legion  to  operate  in  the  Xorthwest. 
Several  hundred  have  already  joined  his  standard,  and  as  he 
advances  nito  the  country  thousands  more  Avill  gather  around 
'■the  old  man  eloc[uent."'  If  there  is  a  true  patriot — a  genuine 
lover  of  his  State  and  country,  ready  at  any  personal  sacrifice 
to  secure  its  welliare,  it  is  this  venerable  man,  who  at  times — 
even  nov" — is  so  feeble  that  he  has  to  be  carried  from  point  to 
point  upon  a  cot  while  he  rallies  the  people  to  the  work.  Few 
persons  possess  more  wonderful  power  over  the  masses  than 
Henry  A.  \\"ise.  There  is  something  in  the  flash  of  his  un- 
dimmed  eye.  the  trembling  of  his  long,  bony  fingers  as  he 
raises  them  m  solemn  adjuration,  and  the  round,  full  tones  of 
a  A  oice  that  never  hesitates  for  a  strong  word  in  the  right 
place,  which  thrills  every  listener  with  a  strange  fervor.  This 
effect  was  strikingly  produced  the  other  evening,  Avhile  ad- 
dressing a  crowd  who  had  assembled  to  serenade  the  presi- 
dent. "'The  time  of  deliberation.""  he  said,  "has  given  place 
to  the  time  of  action.  You  liave  to  meet  a  foe  who  have  an- 
nihilated the  old  constitutional  bond  of  union,  annulled  your 
laws,  abolitionized  your  borders,  as  the  Xorthwest  Avill  show, 
invaded  the  sanctity  of  your  homes,  and  undertaken  to  teach 
you  the  moral  duties  of  men." 

■"The  armies  of  the  enemy  are  even  now  hovering  around 
the  tomb  of  AA'ashington,  and  where  is  the  A'irginian  heart 
that  does  not  beat  with  a  quicker  pulsation  at  this  last  and 
boldest  desecration  of  his  State?  You  want  war — blood — lire 
to  purify  you!  Tlie  Lord  of  Hosts  has  demanded  that  you 
pass  through  the  baptism,  and  I  call  upon  you  to  come  up  to 
the  altar.  Collect  yourselves  together — elevate  yourselves  to 
the  high  and  sacred  duty  of  patriotism.  The  man  who  dares 
to  wait  until  soir.e  ir.agic  weapon  is  put  in  his  hand,  who  will 
not  be  content  with  flint  or  steel,  or  even  a  gun  without  a 
lock,  is  worse  than  a  renegade — he  is  a  coward.  Get  a  spear 
— a  lance — a  pruning  knife — anything  that  will  cut.  ]\Iake 
your  blades  from  old  iron,  though  it  be  the  tires  of  your  cart 
wheels,  and  burnish  them  into  the  shape  of  bowie-knives.  If 
possible,  secure  a  double-barrelled  gun  and  a  bagful  of  buck- 
shot.   Take  the  field  VN"ith  these.    If  the  guns  of  the  enemy 


99 


reach  further  than  yours,  reduce  the  distance.  Meet  them  foot 
to  foot,  eye  to  eye,  body  to  body,  and  when  you  strike  a  blow, 
strike  home." 

Richmond,  June  15. — A  copy  of  the  New  York  "Daily 
News,''  of  a  late  date,  just  at  hand,  contains  the  following 
frank  confession  of  some  of  the  consequences  of  the  war  in 
the  metropolis: 

"Neither  the  flaunting  of  bright  banners,  the  continuous 
rattle  of  drums  and  ear-piercing  fifes,  nor  all  the  bravery  of 
gay  trappings  and  din  of  martial  instruments,  with  which  the 
demon  is  wont  to  bedazzle  the  hearts  and  deepen  the  reason 
of  his  victims,  will  suffice  to  conceal  from  the  truth-investi- 
gating eye  the  terrible  reality  that  our  wealth  and  our  pros- 
perity are  taking  quick  wings  to  fly  away.  The  professional 
man  in  his  office,  the  merchant  in  his  counting-house,  the 
tradesman  at  his  desk — aye,  even  the  poor  working  girl  in 
her  attic  and  the  day  laborer  on  the  street,  tell  you  but  one 
tale  of  terror.  Everything  that  has  appertained  to  our  days  of 
glory  is  withering,  and  the  hopes  of  all  but  those  who  are  apt 
to  profit  by  the  wrong  tremble  and  sicken  as  they  take  birth. 
Could  the  light  of  God  penetrate  to  the  hearts  of  His  crea- 
tures, and  make  visible  the  tears  and  secret  repinings,  how^ 
soon  would  our  people  awaken  from  the  frenzy  wdiich  some 
evil  agency,  armed  with  an  liour's  control,  now  exercises  over 
them. 

"We  will  not  ask  our  readers  to  visit  with  us  the  homes 
of  usual  poverty  and  toil,  but  simply  direct  their  steps  even  on 
the  balmiest  of  these  spring  days  along  Broadway  alone. 

"Starting  from  the  Astor  House,  let  your  eye  range  to 
each  side  of  the  street  as  you  pass  up  towards  Union  Square, 
and  before  you  have  gone  the  distance  of  three  blocks,  you 
will  have  to  realize  some  proofs  of  what  we  have  above  stated. 

'Tn  every  direction  'this  house  to  let'  or  'store  for  rent,' 
'this  property  for  sale,'  'seUing  ofif  at  less  than  cost,'  'assignee's 
sale,'  etc.,  stare  you  in  the  face,  flanked  by  hosts  of  less  im- 
portant but  similar  announcements.  Nor  are  these  offers  con- 
fined to  old  or  inferior  buildings,  but  hang  like  placards  on 
an  effigv  over  the  door  posts  of  some  of  the  newest  and  most 
elegant  structures  on  our  proudest  avenue.  From  the  Astor 
House  to  the  corner  of  Fourteenth  street  you  may  this  morn- 
ing count  one  hundred  and  eighty-nine  of  these  commercial 
epitaphs,  and  if  you  slip  quietly  into  many  a  handsome  estab- 


100 


lishment,  where  plate  glass  vies  with  gilding"  for  the  adorn- 
ment of  happier  days,  yon  may  be  told  in  a  whisper  that  busi- 
ness is  dead  and  the  place  will  soon  close. 

''If  one-third  of  the  business  sites  along  the  gayest  por- 
tions of  Broadway  be  already  hanging"  out  the  signal  of  dis- 
tress, Avhat  may  we  expect  when  the  progress  of  slaughter 
shall  bring  increased  levies  of  men  and  money,  and  scatter 
terror  and  mourning  in  every  household!" 

PEN  PICTURE  OF  PRESIDENT  DAA'IS. 

Richmond,  June  17th. — ^The  parlors  of  the  president  at 
the  Spotsvood  Hotel  this  evening  haA'e  been  the  theatre  of 
a  pleasant  interchange  of  courtesies  between  the  chief  magis- 
trate and  the  members  of  the  Mrginia  Convention.  The  latter 
assembled  at  the  capitol.  and  with  the  venerable  Ex-President 
John  T}'ler,  and  Hon.  John  Janney,  the  President  of  the  con- 
ventiori  at  the  head  of  the  procession,  proceeded,  arm  in  arm, 
to  the  hotel.  There  were  present,  besides  his  Excellency 
Jefferson  Davis.  Hon.  Robert  Toombs,  Secretary  of  State, 
Hon.  Air.  I\Iallory,  Secretary  of  the  XaA"y,  Hon.  Air.  Alem- 
minger.  Secretary  of  the  Treasun*,  and  Air.  W'm.  AI.  Browne, 
Assistant  Secretary  of  State. 

As  the  gentlemen  respectively  advanced  they  v\-ere  intro- 
duced by  Air.  Eubank,  the  Secretary  of  the  Convention,  and 
in  ten  minutes  the  apartments  were  filled  by  a  hundred  or 
more  of  the  "solid  men"  of  Mrginia,  each  one  happy  in  that 
happiest  of  all  reflections,  that  he  was  "looking  his  very 
best.'"' 

The  president  always  looked  dignified,  but  never,  to  my 
mind,  is  he  so  nnich  in  his  element  as  when,  in  the  centre  of 
a  colloquial  assemblage  he  emits  those  brilliant  scintillations 
of  thought  with  which  his  fertile  mind  is  pregnant.  This  was 
especially  the  case  tonight.  Xot  only  was  each  gentleman 
compHmented  by  a  kind  and  different  greeting  from  that  re- 
ceived by  his  neighbor,  but  after  the  formalities  of  the  intro- 
duction were  over,  the  freedom  with  Avhich  he  moved  hither 
and  thither,  dropping  an  urbane  salutation  to  one,  calling  up 
some  reminiscence  to  another,  touching  gently  on  the  events 
of  the  time  to  a  third,  relating  a  brief  anecdote  to  a  fourth, 
and  making  himself  eminently  affable  with  all,  did  not  fail  to 
stamp  on  the  minds  of  his  visitors  the  most  agreeable  im- 


lOI 


pression.  Mr.  Davis  adorns  the  social  circle  as  well  as  he 
has  the  forum  or  the  field.  Combining  the  freedom  of  the 
friend  with  the  caution  of  the  diplomat,  yet  giving-  full  scope 
to  his  fine  conversational  powers,  he  draws  more  out  and  puts 
more  into  his  auditors  with  less  attendant  restraint  than  one 
would  believe  possible.  Magnetized  by  an  irresistible  smile, 
charmed  with  choice  language,  and  yet  involuntarily  drawn 
into  the  expression  of  your  own  sentiment,  you  soon  forget  in 
the  ready  listener  before  you  that  you  are  talking  to  the  Pres- 
ident of  the  Southern  Confederacy.  You  remember  only  the 
man.  Such  is  the  chief  magistrate  in  the  parlor.  What  he 
IS  in  the  councils  of  the  nation,  as  a  statesman  and  soldier, 
the  world  already  knows. 

Personally,  he  is  a  man  of  slight,  sinewy  figure,  rather 
over  the  middle  height,  and  of  erect,  soldier-like  bearing.  He 
is  about  fifty-five  years  of  age.  His  features  are  regular  and 
well  defined,  but  the  face  is  thin  and  marked  on  cheek  and 
brow  with  many  wrinkles,  which  are  not  unfrequently  deep- 
ened into  an  expression  of  intense  thought  and  care.  One  eye 
is  apparently  blind;  the  other  is  dark,  piercing  and  intelligent. 
He  was  dressed  in  a  plain  black  suit. 

Moving  around  in  the  crowd  were  tw^o-  microscopic 
Davises — Maggie  and  JefT,  Jr. — as  handsome  a  pair  of  house- 
hold angels  as  ever  blessed  a  parent's  heart!  Maggie  is  what 
the  ladies  would  call  "a  gem."  She  has  large,  brown,  express- 
ive eyes,  long  lashes,  which,  but  for  a  natural  vivacity,  would 
give  her  an  almost  pensive  cast  of  countenance,  round,  rosy 
cheeks,  a  sweet  little  nose  and  mouth,  a  dimpled  chin,  a  fine 
growth  of  black  hair,  cut  short  in  the  neck,  and  a  clear,  rosy 
complexion.  Add  to  these  charms  a  tiny  form,  pretty  enough 
to  belong  to  a  divinity,  and  you  have  a  pen  and  ink  portrait 
of  a  diminutive  specimen  of  humanity,  who  would  make  a 
jewel  of  a  picture  in  any  kind  of  a  setting,  whether  she  be- 
longed to  a  president  or  a  plebeian. 

The  oth.er  Davis— young  JefT — is  a  chubby,  broad-shoul- 
dered, big-headed,  brown-haired,  gray-eyed  chap,  five  years 
old,  fat,  fair  and  fresh  as  a  rosebud.  He  has,  evidently,  inher- 
ited much  of  the  firmness  of  his  ancestor. 

The  father  seems  proud  of  both  these  bantlings,  and  as 
they  edged  through  the  crowd  and  took  a  place  by  his  side, 
though  engaged  in  conversation  with  a  number  of  gentlemen 


1 02 


around  liim,  he  still  found  time  to  bestow  upon  them  the 
smiles  and  caresses  of  affection. 

Xo  ladies  were  present  and  no  speeches  were  made, 
thougli  I  learn  three  or  four  gentlemen  were  loaded  for  the 
purpose.  Politicians  now-a-da}'s  are  like  Leyden  jars,  they 
only  want  a  proper  conductor  and  opportunity  to  give  out 
their  pent  up  rhetorical  sparks. 

The  Convention,  now  assembled  here,  is  one  of  the  most 
intellectual  bodies  of  men  that  has  met  in  Mrginia  for  many 
years.  Their  onh-  fault  is  too  much  talk  and  too  little  action. 
They  have  reversed  the  old  saying  that  men  were  made  with 
two  ears,  two  eyes  and  one  tongue,  that  we  should  hear  and 
see  more  than  we  should  say. 

Intelligence  has  been  received  of  the  capture  of  one  of 
our  privateers — the  "Savannah,"  of  Charleston.  Captain 
Baker,  and  a  crew  of  twenty-five  men.  The  event  took  place 
on  the  3d  instant,  about  fxfty  miles  oft*  Charleston  Harbor. 
The  "Savannah"  had  already  captured  two  or  three  ships,  and 
mistaking  the  United  States  brig  "Pern-,"  which  was  dis- 
guised as  a  merchantman,  sailed  within  a  short  distance  before 
the  mistake  was  discovered.  After  a  chase  of  six  hours  the 
privateer  was  overhauled,  and  the  officers  and  men  carried  to 
New  York  in  irons.  The  war  press  of  the  North  demands 
that  they  shall  be  hung  as  pirates.  The  "Savannah'  was  a 
schooner-rigged  vessel  of  fifty-four  tons  burden,  and  formerly 
employed  as  a  pilot  boat.  Her  armament  consisted  of  one 
eighteen-pounder  amidships,  and  she  bore  one  of  the  first  let- 
ters of  marcjue  issued  by  our  government. 

Richn:ond,  June  8. — An  engagement  took  place  yester- 
day at  A^ienna  (a  small  station  on  the  Loudon  and  Hampshire 
Railroad,  running  from  Alexandria  to  Leesburg),  between  a 
detachment  of  the  Alexandria  Artillery,  two  guns,  under  the 
command  of  Capt.  Del.  Kemper  and  Lieut.  Douglass  Stuart, 
supported  by  the  Darlington  \'olunteers,  of  Gregg's  Regi- 
ment of  South  Carolinians,  two  companies  of  Virginia  Cav- 
alry, under  Captains  Ball  and  Terry,  and  a  body  of  First  Ohio 
Regim.ent,,  under  the  personal  command  of  Brigadier-Gen- 
eral Schenck.  The  latter  were  approaching  Vienna  on  a  train 
of  six  cars,  the  engine  in  the  rear,  for  the  purpose  of  making 
some  repairs  to  a  bridge,  and  while  slowly  turning  a  curve 
were  opened  upon  with  grape  and  round  shot  by  our  artiller)^ 
In  a  moment  the  panic  was  complete.    The  Federalists  tum- 


103 


bled  in  the  wildest  confusion  from  the  cars  and  scampered 
right  and  left  intO'  the  woods.  A  portion  of  our  infantry  pur- 
sued, but  the  only  captures  were  the  arms,  coats,  blankets  and 
side  weapons,  with  which  the  path  of  retreat  was  strewn.  Six 
dead  bodies  were  found  on  and  near  the  cars.  Thei  loss  of 
the  enemy  in  killed  and  wounded  was  eighteen.  Being  far 
out  of  range  of  our  small  arms,  the  entire  damage  was  done 
by  the  artillery.  After  destroymg  the  cars  the  entire  com- 
mand returned  to  Fairfax  Courthouse,  five  miles  distant. 
It  is  a  singular  fact  that  Sergeant  Summers,  of  the  Alexan- 
dria Artillery,  was  the  builder  of  every  car  in  the  train,  and 
at  his  own  request  he  was  allowed  to  demolish  them. 

The  Federals  have  adopted  a  system  of  ballooning,  under 
the  superintendence  of  the  aeronaut,  Professor  Lowe,  a  tele- 
graph wire  connecting  the  vehicle  with  the  earth. 

General  Butler  has  planted  on  the  Rip  Raps,  near  For- 
tress Monroe,  a  huge  Sawyer  gun,  with  which  he  is  shelling 
out  batteries  at  Sewell's  Point.  Its  range  is  about  five  and 
a  half  miles.  The  "Merrimac"  at  Norfolk  is  being  converted 
into  a  floating  battery. 

Among  the  amusing  incidents  of  camp  life,  one  is  related 
of  Colonel  Magruder,  who  commands  at  Yorktown.  It  ap- 
pears that  he  loves  an  occasional  social  glass,  and  as  the  boys 
are  sometimes  rather  dry  they  make  remarks  about  it.  Among 
these  was  a  North  Carolina  private,  who  had  behaved  with 
great  gallantry  in  the  battle  of  Bethel.  One  morning  he  was 
confounded  at  a  peremptory  order  to  appear  before  the  colonel 
commanding.  He  was  unable  to  decide  whether  he  was  to 
be  shot  or  reprimanded,  till  he  reached  the  colonel's  tent,  and 
was  sternly  addressed  thus:  "Private  Stedman,  I  understand 
you  have  said  that  old  Magruder  drinks  all  the  liquor  in  York- 
town,  and  won't  let  you  have  a  drop.  You  shall  say  so  no 
longer,  sir.  Walk  in  and  take  a  drink — I  commend  you  for 
your  bravery." 

Pvichmond,  June  i8th. — For  several  days  the  city  has 
been  in  a  ferment  over  the  news  that  our  forces  have  evacu- 
ated Harper's  Ferry.  This  point  has  heretofore  been  re- 
garded by  the  public  as  the  Gibraltar  of  Virginia  and  the  key 
to  the  city  of  Washington  and  to  Maryland.  Cognizant  of 
the  gradual  accumulation  there  of  eight  or  ten  thousand  men, 
the  people  have  patiently  Avaited  to  see  the  army  commence 
its  expected  march  into  the  camps  of  the  enemy,  but  they  have 

104 


been  disappointed.  It  is  this  upsetting  of  individual  strategy, 
and  theories  which  we  Americans  are  so  much  incHned  to 
concoct,  that  has  produced  the  mental  effervescence  going  on 
in  the  community. 

The  change  referred  to  has  been  in  contemplation 
for  a  number  of  weeks,  and  the  result  of  a  carefully  studied 
policy,  not  of  the  pressure  of  a  sudden  emerg-ency. 

Harper's  Ferry  lies,  as  it  were,  in  the  small  end  of  a  cone, 
the  rear  of  which  could  with  great  ease  be  occupied  by  the 
enemy.  It  was,  therefore,  from  the  first  known  to  be  unten- 
able as  soon  as  the  Federals  should  commence  their  demon- 
stration. The  approach  of  General  Patterson  was  looked  for 
zia  the  great  route  from  Alaryland  into  the  \'alley  of  Mrginia 
through  i\Iartinsburg  and  Winchester  on  the  right.  Another 
column  under  AlcClellan  was  expected  by  way  of  Romney 
on  the  left.  Reachmg  these  several  points  the  Federals  would 
have  effectually  prevented  a  junction  of  our  two  armies.  The 
plan,  however,  was  foiled  and  the  enemy  checkmated  at  their 
own  game. 

The  latter  column,  under  command  of  Col.  Lewis  Wal- 
lace, of  Indiana,  made  its  appearance  at  Romney  on  Wednes- 
day morning,  the  19th  inst.,  not,  however,  without  encounter- 
ing by  the  way  the  resistance  of  some  of  the  determined  citi- 
zens. One,  a  shoemaker,  with  a  spirit  resembling  that  of  the 
martial  Jackson,  took  his  gun  and  boldly  shot  a  Yankee  dead 
in  the  ranks,  but  was  instantly  killed  in  turn. 

A  force  was  at  once  dispatched  to  Winchester,  by  rail,  to 
check  any  further  advance.  The  sick  and  heavy  baggage  fol- 
lowed in  the  same  direction.  On  the  morning  of  the  14th,  just 
at  day  dawn,  a  terrific  sound,  like  the  report  of  a  thousand 
columbiads,  awakened  the  wearied  soldiers  from  their  slum- 
bers, and  from  the  pomt  where  the  Potomac  and  Shenandoah 
rush  together  there  arose  a  huge  volume  of  black  smoke, 
bound  with  a  spiral  column  of  red  fiame.  The  stupendous 
railroad  bridge  across  the  Potomac  was  a  charred  and  scat- 
tered ruin.  The  bridges  at  Shepherdstown,  twelve  miles,  and 
at  Williamsport,  thirty  miles  above,  were  destroyed  a  day  or 
two- before.  At  ten  o'clock  A.  ]\I.,  of  the  same  day,  the  eight 
large  buildings  in  the  armory  yard  were  fired,  and  having 
been  previously  filled  with  combustible  matter,  were  soon  con- 
sumed.   At  twelve  J\I.,  the  whole  command,  accompanied  by 


105 


tlie  general  and  staff  moved  on  in  the  direction  of  Charles- 
town. 

During  the  night  a  courier  arrived  with  news  that  the 
enemy  had  forded  the  Potomac  below  Williamsport,  and  were 
marching  on  Martinsburg.  Our  route  was  immediately 
changed  at  right  angles,  and  the  column  put  in  motion  for 
Bunker's  Hill,  a  small  village  on  the  Winchester  turnpike, 
twelve  miles  from  Martinsburg,  and  about  the  same  distance 
from  the  former  place. 

On  the  morning  of  the  i6th  we  were  formed  in  line,  with 
baggage  wagons  in  motion,  and  everything  in  readiness  for 
prosecuting  our  journey  towards  Martinsburg,  when  a  bearer 
of  dispatches  galloped  up  and  stated  that  the  enemy  were 
within  three  miles  (Martinsburg  was  ten'  miles  off),  in  full 
march  upon  us,  with  fifteen  thousand  men.  Not  a  moment 
was  lost.  The  baggage  vvagons,  with  all  who  had  broken 
down  during  the  two  previous  days,  and  were  unable  to  do 
service,  were  ordered  back  on  the  road  to  Winchester.  Cart- 
ridges were  distributed  and  a  line  of  battle  formed.  Our 
whole  effective  force  consisted  of  nine  thousand  men,  a  small 
body  of  cavalry,  and  a  few  batteries  of  flying  artillery.  The 
scene  was  well  worth  witnessing.  Many  of  the  sick  refused 
to  leave,  and  took  their  places  in  the  ranks.  A  wild,  delirious 
joy  irradiated  every  face,  and  a  shout  rent  the  air.  For  more 
than  an  hour  we  waited  impatiently  the  enemy's  approach, 
but  no  enemy  came.  At  last  a  second  messenger  arrived, 
and  stated  that  the  Federal  troops  had  retreated  to  the  Poto- 
mac, and  would  be  on  the  other  side  before  we  could  over- 
take them.  No  further  work  was  left  for  us  in  that  direction, 
so  with  weary  limbs  and  disappointed  hopes  we  resumed  the 
line  of  march  to  Winchester,  where  we  halted  on  the  night  of 
the  I 6th. 

On  the  19th  of  June  Col.  A.  P.  Hill,  of  the  Thirteenth' 
Virginia  Regiment  (since  Lieutenant-General),  who  was  in 
conmiand  of  a  part  of  our  forces,  directed  Col.  John  C. 
Vaughan,  of  the  Third  Tennessee  Regiment,  with  two  com- 
panies of  the  Thirteenth  Virginia  Regiment,  under  Captains 
Crittenden  and  White,  and  two  companies  of  the  Third  Ten- 
nessee Regiment,  under  Captains  Lilliars  and  Mathas,  to  pro- 
ceed to  New  Creek  Depot,  eighteen  miles  west  of  Cumber- 
land, on  the  Baltimore  and  Ohio  Railroad,  and  disperse  the 
force  there  collected.    The  Federals,  who  were  posted  on  the 

106 


Maryland  side,  fled  at  the  first  charge,  leaving  in  our  hands 
two  loaded  pieces  of  artillery,  which  they  had  not  time  to  fire, 
and  a  stand  of  colors.  The  railroad  bridge  was  then  des- 
troyed, and  the  expedition  returned  to  Romney,  having 
achieved  their  purpose  in  thirty-six  hours. 

The  effects  of  these  movements  of  General  Johnston  has 
been  to  break  up  the  combinations  of  General  Scott.  The 
column  under  Patterson,  which  descended  the  ^laryland  A'al- 
ley,  on  hearing  of  the  evacuation  of  Harper's  Ferry,  immedi- 
ately suspected  a  demonstration  on  Alexandria  or  Washing- 
ton, and  fell  back  to  Hagerstown,  ]\Id.  The  column  under 
Gadwalladcr,  as  has  been  seen,  recrossed  the  Potomac,  and 
the  force  at  Romney  retreated  precipitately  on  approach  of 
one  of  our  brigades. 

Two  or  three  days  after  reaching  A\'inchester,  Colonel 
Jackson  (commandant  of  the  post  at  Harper's  Ferry,  previous 
to  the  arrival  of  General  Johnston),  with  five  Mrginia  Regi- 
ments and  five  hundred  cavalry  under  Colonel  Stuart,  and 
Rev.  Captain  Pendleton's  Flying  Artillery,  was  detached  to 
W'illiamsport  to  guard  that  point.  The  first  brigade  of  troops 
at  Winchester  is  composed  of  the  Fourth  iVlabama,  the  Sec- 
ond and  Eleventh  ^Mississippi,  and  the  Second  Tennessee,  and 
commanded  by  Brig.-Gen.  Barnard  E.  Bee,  of  South  Carolina. 
The  second  brigade  is  composed  of  the  Fifth,  Seventh  and 
Eighth  Georgia,  and  the  First  Kentucky  Regiment,  and  is 
commanded  by  Colonel  Barton,  of  the  Eighth  Georgia  Regi- 
ment. The  tltird  brigade  is  composed  of  the  Second,  Tenth 
and  Thirteenth  Mrginia,  and  ^Maryland,  and  is  com- 
manded bv  Colonel  Elzie. 


Personxe. 


107 


Our  Camp-Stool 


CHARLES  A.  DANA,  the  ed- 
itor of  the  New  York  Sun,  who 
was  Assistant  Secretary  of  the 
War  during  the  administration  of 
President  Lincoln,  in  presenting 
his  views  on  the  subject  of  deser- 
tion from  the  United  States  army, 
says:  "Our  miUtary  system  is  a 
sham  within  a  sham,  that  the  rank 
and  file  mostly  enlist  to  get  food, 
shelter  and  clothing  till  they  can 
find  other  employment,  or  to  get 
carried  at  the  public  expense  to 
some  distant  point  they  wish  to 
reach.  Our  excessive  peace  army 
of  30,000  men  is  not  an  army.  It 
is  never  better  than  an  unassimi- 
lated  mass,  one-third  of  which  is 
strange  to  the  musket,  and  nearly 
the  whole  of  which  run  away  and 
disappear  every  four  years.  As  a 
nucleus  for  such  an  army  as  we 
put  in  the  field  to  suppress  the 
rebellion  it  is  a  little  better  than 
worthless.  The  men  who  enlist 
are  mostly  refugees  from  idleness, 
beggary  or  criminal  justice;  the 
army  is  their  poor-house  or  hid- 
ing place.  They  enter  it  to  avoid 
starvation  or  arrest.  The  quality 
of  the  Confederate  soldiers  effect- 
ually disposes  of  the  plea  that  it 
is  necessary  to  keep  the  regular 
army  as  a  nucleus. 

"On  the  Union  side  was  the  en- 


tire rank  and  file  of  the  old  army. 
Of  that  force  the  rebels  had  only 
officers.  The  Confederate  rank 
and  file  was  composed  wholly  of 
raw  men,  and,  in  the  first  two 
years  of  the  war,  volunteers.  Yet 
what  an  infantry  they  were! 
Those  of  us  who  saw  them  charge 
in  line  of  battle  never  approach  a 
Confederate  cemetery  without 
taking  ofif  our  hats  in  homage  to 
the  devoted  braves  who  ever 
walked  straight  into  the  jaws  of 
death  without  blanching. 

"The  explanation  of  the  extra- 
ordinary excellence  of  the  rebel 
infantry  is  to  be  found  in  the  fact 
that  it  was  made  up  of  American 
citizens.  The  present  army  of  the 
United  States  is  not  such." 

APROPOS  of  the  foregoing 
remarks  concerning  both  the  Fed- 
eral and  the  Confederate  soldier 
by  one  whose  editorial  pride  it  is 
to  be  always  just,  we  reproduce 
the  following  extract  from  the 
historical  sketch  of  the  First  Reg- 
iment of  South  Carolina  Artillery, 
written  by  Capt.  Charles  H.  In- 
glesby,  of  Charleston.  He  says: 
"When  the  surrender  came  at 
Greensboro,  N.  C,  April  27th, 
1865,  there  were  only  eleven  offi- 


108 


cers  and  about  one  hundred  and 
twenty-five  men  to  be  paroled.  It 
had  gone  into  the  field  two 
months  before  with  forty-five  offi- 
cers and  over  one  thousand  men. 

"Sergt.  David  H.  Welch,  of 
Company  "E,'  a  native  of  Sumter 
County,  S.  C,  had  been  the  color 
bearer  throughout  the  whole 
march  and  in  both  fights."' 
(Averysboro  and  Bentonville.) 
"He  was  as  brave  and  splendid 
soldier  as  ever  'wore-  the  gray.' 
In  the  charges  the  regimental 
battle  flag  was  always  to  the 
front  and  enabled  the  regiment 
to  preserve  its  alignment  by  clos- 
ing in  and  dressing  on  the  colors. 
When  the  arms  were  stacked  for 
the  last  time  to  be  turned  over  to 
the  Federals,  the  flag  w^hich  Ser- 
geant Welch  had  so  nobly  borne 
through  storms  of  shot  and  shell 
was  taken  from  its  staff  and  the 
empty  staff  was  placed  upon  one 
of  the  stacks  to  be  presented  to 
General  Sherman.  After  the  offi- 
cers and  men  had  been  paroled 
and  the  command  disbanded,  the 
officers  held  a  meeting.  We  had 
honored  the  flag.  The  question 
arose,  what  shall  we  do  with  it — 
who  shall  have  it?  Some  one 
suggested  that  no  one  was  so 
much  entitled  to  it  as  the  heroic, 
brave  man  who  had  borne  it. 
With  one  voice  every  officer 
said:  'Aye!'  Sergeant  Welch  was 
called  for.  He  had  gone.  Lieut. 
William  F.  Colcock  was  forthwith 
mounted  on  a  horse,  and  directed 
to  take  the  flag,  ride  after  Ser- 
geant Welch,  and  in  the  name  of 
the  officers  of  the  First  South 
Carolina  Artillery  present  it  to 
him. 

"I  well  remember  Lieutenant 
Colcock's  report  upon  his  return 
an  hour  or  two  later.  He  had 
overtaken  Sergeant  Welch,  in- 
formed him  of  this  action  of  the 
officers  and  handed  him  the 
pledge.  The  gallant  soldier  took 
it  into  his  hands,  tenderly  kissed 
it  and  burst  into  tears,  unbutton- 
ed his  coat,  and  placed  the  flag 


next  to  his  heart.  He  w^as  una- 
ble in  his  condition  to  say  a  word, 
but  his  action  was  more  eloquent 
than  would  have  been  any  words 
which  he  could  ha^■e  spoken.  ' 


THE  following  incident  is  also 
related  of  Sergeant  Welch: 

During  the  terrific  bombard- 
ment to  which  Battery  Wagner 
was  subjected,  a  fifteen-inch  shell 
from  one  of  the  monitors  pene- 
trated the  bomb-proof,  its  fuse 
still  burning.  All  the  men  pros- 
trated themselves  upon  the 
ground,  expecting  momentarily 
to  be  blown  into  eternity,  except 
Sergeant  Welch,  who,  coolly 
walking  out  of  the  door,  snatched 
a  pot  of  coffee  from  the  fire  where 
it  was  in  process  of  boiling,  and 
returning,  dashed  its  contents 
over  the  lighted  fuse,  and  thus 
saved  the  lives  of  his  comrades. 

We  read  in  history  of  ^Marshal 
Murat  as  the  "bravest  of  the 
brave."  but  this  daring  act  per- 
formed by  a  plain  Confederate 
soldier,  placed  him  at  once  in  the 
front  rank  of  men  whose  gallant- 
ry entitle  them  to  a  place  on  the 
proudest  page  of  history.  It  may 
be  mentioned  that  Welch  laugh- 
ingly apologized  to  the  men  for 
having  spoiled  their  breakfast  by 
throwing  away  the  best  part  of 
it — their  coffee — though  he  did 
not  at  that  instant  realize  that  he 
had  passed  into  fame  as — a  Hero. 

THE  story  of  Fort  Sumter 
would  not  be  complete  without 
the  narration  of  an  incident  or 
two  that  ma}'  serve  the  future  his- 
torian in  illustrating  the  spirit  of 
the  people. 

While  our  batteries  were  yet  in 
process  of  erection  and  troops 
were  being  massed  according  to 
well  considered  plans  of  attack, 
a  number  of  bold  young  fellows 
impatient  at  the  delay  of  the  mil- 
itar}'  authorities,  organized  an  ex- 
pedition which  had  for  its  object 


109 


the  carrying  of  the  Fort  by 
storm.  They  counted  on  what 
they  believed  to  be  the  weakness 
of  its  garrison,  the  cover  of  the 
night  and  the  suddenness  of  the 
assauh. 

Cotton  bales  were  to  be  piled 
high  up  on  the  deck  of  an  ordi- 
nary mud  flat,  similar  to  that 
which  formed  the  sub-structure 
of  the  Floating  Battery,  and  this 
being  towed  to  an  accessible  side 
of  the  Fort,  the  assailants  pro- 
posed to  make  a  dash  from  the 
artificial  height  and  under  cover 
of  a  rifle  fire  cross  to  the  parapet 
and  effect  the  capture. 

The  bold  feat  might  have  suc- 
ceeded— probably  would  have 
done  so,  but  not  without  a  sacri- 
fice of  many  lives.  Fortunately, 
the  purpose  of  the  expedition  ^> 
came  known  to  the  State  offi"^frs 
— Beauregard  was  not  then  in 
command — and  was  promptly 
frustrated.  The  leaders  of  this 
intended  coup  de  guerre  are  now 
congratulating  themselves  that 
"all's  well  that  ends  well." 

The  spirit  of  the  hour  was 
again  illustrated  in  the  action  of 
a  ten-year-old  lad,  who,  having 
made  his  way  to  Fort  Moultrie, 
was  found  among  the  men  at  the 
guns  as  eagerly  engaged  as  them- 
selves. The  officers,  of  course, 
quickly  put  him  in  a  place  of  safe- 
ty, but  the  little  fellow  was  so 
anxious  to  be  in  the  thick  of  the 
fight  that  he  cried  and  chafed 
under  the  restraint  all  day.  When 
he  reached  home  that  night,  he 
said  to  his  mother:  "Mother, 
whip  me  if  you  please,  I  don't 
care;  I  have  been  in  Fort  Moul- 
trie, and  when  I  grow  to  be  a 
man  I  can  tell  how  I  was  one  of 
the  fighters  in  the  battle  that  took 
Fort  Sumter." 

Still  another  incident  is  recall- 
ed. A  young  wife,  the  bride  of 
but  a  few  hours,  was  called  on  to 
part  with  her  husband,  who  had 
been  ordered  to  join  his  com- 
mand on  one  of  the  islands.  With 
an  affectionate  embrace  she  bade 


him  farewell,  closed  the  hall  door 
and  swooned.  On  being  restored 
to  sensibility,  she  exclaimed:  "Oh, 
how  ashamed  I  am  to  show  my 
weakness  at  such  an  hour!  Did 
he  see  me  faint?"  Instances  of 
this  description  might  be  multi- 
plied by  the  score. 


A  NIGHT  IN  CHARLESTON. 

We  find  in  the  Cornhill  Maga- 
zine the  following  graphic  ac- 
count of  a  night  in  Charleston, 
at  the  time  when  the  bombard- 
ment was  still  a  novelty  to  our 
people: 

On  the  2ist  August,  at  half- 
past  2  A.  M.,  I- was  lying  on  my 
bed  in  the  Charleston  Hotel,  un- 
able to  sleep  from  the  excessive 
heat,  and  listening  to  the  monot- 
onous sound  of  the  cannonade 
kept  up  on  the  enemy's  position 
from  the  batteries  on  James'  Is- 
land. Restless  and  weary  of  the 
night,  I  had  lighted  a  candle  in 
defiance  of  the  mosquitoes,  and 
sought  to  pass  away  the  time  with 
a  volume  of  "Les  Miserables." 
It  happened  to  be  the  one  con- 
taining the  account  of  the  battle 
of  Waterloo,  and  while  deeply  in- 
terested in  the  description  of  the 
rushing  squadrons  of  cuirassiers, 
I  was  startled  by  a  noise  that, 
from  connection  with  my  reading, 
resembled  the  whirl  of  a  phantom 
brigade  of  cavalry,  galloping  in 
mid  air. 

My  first  feeling  was  that  of 
utter  astonishment;  but  a  crash, 
succeeded  by  a  deafening  explo- 
sion in  the  .'er>  street  on  ^^  hich 
my  apartment  was  situated, 
brought  me  with  a  bound  into 
the  centre  of  the  room.  Looking 
from  the  ^vindow,  I  saw  fire  and 
smoke  issuing  from  a  house  in 
which  we  stowed  rhe  drugs  of  the 
Medical  Purveyor.  A  w.iKhman 
^^'as  running  frantically  Juwn  the 
street,  and.  when  he  reached  tlie 
corner  iust  below  me,  commenced 
striking  with  his  staff  against  the 
euro— a  signal  of  alarm  p^-acticed 
among  the  Charleston  police.  At 


I  lO 


first.  1  thought  a  meteor  had  fall- 
en: but  anoihv^r  awful  rush  a^jd 
whirl  right  over  >he  hotel,  and 
another  explosio  i  be.vond,  settled 
an}-  doubts  I  night  have  had  — 
the  city  was  being  siielled.  Peo- 
ple are  not  ;::iven  to  laughin.g 
under  such  circumstanc':^,  b'nt  I 
will  defy  any  ■■ue  who  \vitncssed 
what  I  witnessed  on  leaving  my 
room,  not  to  be  given  away  to 
mirtli  ;n  moderation. 

The  hotel  was  '-'-owded  with 
spectators,  who  had  been  attract- 
ed to  the  city  V,y  the  .-ale  of  S'-me 
blockade  cargoes,  and  the  C',  '-n- 
dors  were  nhed  '.vitli  the  terrified 
gentlemen,  running  about  in  the 
scantiest  costumes  and  in  the 
wildest  alarm.  One  perspiring  in- 
dividual, of  portly  dimensions, 
was  trotting  to  and  fro.  with  one 
boot  on  and  the  other  in  his  hand, 
and  this  was  nearly  all  the  dress 
he  had  to  boast  of. 

In  his  excitemen.t  and  tenor  iie 
had  +orgotten  th.e  number  of  his 
room,  from  which  he  had  hasten- 
ed at  th.e  first  alarm,  and  his  dis- 
tress was  hidi^rous  to  behold. 
Another,  in  a  --cmi  state  of  mi- 
dit}^  with  .1  portion  of  his  gar- 
ments cm  his  arm.  barked  the 
shins  of  every  one  in  his  wa}- 
to  drag  an  enormoas  trunk  to  the 
staircase.  On  reaciiing  the  !ia1l 
I  foimd  a  motley  c--owd.  some  of 
whom,  with  the  biggest  words, 
were  cursing  ^he  Federal  com- 
manders. Whirr!  came  another 
shell  over  the  r.:)of.  and  down  on 
their  faces  went  every  man  of 
them,  into  tobacco  juice  and  segar 
ends,  and  clattering  among  the 
spittoons.  I  need  nor  s  ly  tliat 
this  is  a  class  of  men  from  whom 
the  Confederacy  hopes  nothing — 
on  the  contrary,  by  their  extor- 
tion, practiced  on  suffering  peo- 
ple, they  have  made  themselves 
execrated.  If  a  shell  could  have 
fallen  in  their  midst  and  exter- 
minated the  whole  race  of  huck- 
sters, it  would  have  been  of  great 
benefit  to  the  South.  The  oopu- 
lation    was    now    aroused,  the 


streets  filled  with  women  and 
children,  making  fqr  the  upper 
part  of  the  city,  wdiere  they  could 
find  comparative  safety.  The 
volunteer  fire  brigades  brought 
out  their  engines,  and  parties  of 
the  citizen  reserves  were  organ- 
ized rapidly  and  quietly,  to  be  in 
readiness  to  give  assistance  where 
reauired. 

The  first  engine  that  reached 
the  house  struck  by  the  first  shell 
was  one  belonging  to  a  negro 
company,  and  at  it  thev  went 
with  a  will,  subduing  the  fire  in  a 
marvellously  short  time.  At  every 
successive  whirr  above  them  the 
neeroes  shouted  quaint  invec- 
tivc?  against  "cussed  bobolition- 
ists."  scattering  for  shelter  until 
the  d^nsrer  was  passed.  Through 
the  "^^treets  I  went  and  down  to 
the  battery  promenade,  meeting 
on  my  wiy  sick  and  bedridden 
people,  carried  from  their  homes 
on  matt^'esses.  ?nd  mothers  with 
infants  in  their  ?rms.  running 
they  knew  not  whither.  Reach- 
ing the  promen-^de.  I  cast  my 
eyes  toward  the  Federal  position, 
and  presently,  beyond  James'  Is- 
land, across  tl"'e  marsh  that  sepa- 
rates it  from  ]\Iorris  Island,  came 
a  fl-^sh.  then,  a  dull  report,  and 
after  an  interval  of  some  seconds 
a  fria-'^tful  rushing  sound  above 
me  told  the  oath  that  the  shell 
had  t-^ken.  Its  flight  must  have 
been  five  miles. 


GENERAL  HARDEE  AND 
THE  ARKANSAS  RAW  RE- 
CRUIT. 

An  anecdote  is  t-old  of  General 
Hardee,  which  sl-ows.  in  a  very 
amusing  light,  the  kind  of  ma- 
terial out  of  which  an  army  of 
volunteer  soldierv  is  formed. 
About  the  beginning  of  the  war, 
the  General  was  forming  the  nu- 
cleus of  an  army  in  Southeast 
^Missouri,  and  being  a  great  dis- 
ciplinarian, was  very  active  in 
teaching  his  men  the  rules  and 
duties  of  a  soldier's  life.  It  hap- 
pened one  night  that  a  sentinel 


III 


had  been  placed  to  guard  some 
stores  near  the  entrance  of  the 
General's  headquarters.  Returning 
home  rather  late  from  a  tour  of 
inspection,  he  passed  the  sentinel 
a  few  paces  from  his  door,  and 
not  being  honored  with  the  usual 
salute  of  "present  arms,"  he 
halted,  and  in  a  kind  but  com- 
m.anding  tone,  said:  "Don't  you 
know  me?"  "No,  sir,"  replied 
the  uncouth  Arkansian,  "who.  are 
you?"  "I  am  General  Hardee, 
sir!"  Whereupon  the  raw  recruit 
advanced  a  few  paces,  put  out  his 
hand  for  a  shake,  and  said  in  a 
most  familiar  tone:  "My  name, 
General,  is  Bill  Dickerson,  and 
I'm  right  glad  to  make  your  ac- 
quaintance !" 


FAITHFUL  SLAVES. 
A  private  letter  from  the  army 
said: 

Alick  is  quite  well,  and  begs  to 
be  remembered  to  each  and  every 
one  at  home.  During  my  sojourn 
in  Maryland  he  was  often  sepa- 
rated from  me  for  several  days, 
and  often  had  my  horse,  and 
could  have  ridden  into  the  ene- 
my's line  without  the  sliglitest 
difficulty,  still  he  was  always  on 
hand  when  wanted,  and  seems  de- 
voted to  me.  I  now  consider 
him  thoroughly  tried  and  faith- 
ful. 

One  of  the  most  touching 
things  I  have  seen  since  my  con- 
nection with  the  army  was  the 
devotion  of  Major  White's  ser- 
vant, an  old  negro  he  brought 
from  home  with  him.  The  Major 
was  shot  at  a  battery  which  we 
charged,  and  from  which  we  were 
obliged,  from  want  of  support,  to 
fall  back.  The  news  had  not 
reached  the  old  man,  and  the  next 
morning  he  rode  down  to  the 
lines  where  we  were  to  bring  the 
Major's  breakfast,  and  when  he 
learned  that  the  Major  was  dead, 
he  sat  down  and  wept  like  a  child. 
After  recovering  himself,  he  beg- 
ged to  be  allowed  to  go  to  the 
enemy's  lines  and  try  to  recover 


his  master's  body;  and  when  I 
insisted  that  he  should  go  to  the 
rear,  the  old  man  left  very  reluc- 
tantly, begging  me  to  use  every 
means  to  recover  his  master's  re- 
mains; this,  about  nightfall,  I  suc- 
ceeded in  doing,  by  which  he  was 
very  much  relieved.  The  next 
morning  he  saddled  his  horse, 
packed  all  of  his  master's  bag- 
gage upon  him,  and  started  off  on 
his  ,  homeward  journey  of  nearly 
a  thousand  miles. 


TWO  SMART  DOGS. 

During  General  Birney's  raid  in 
Florida,  a  bright  little  girl  was 
found  alone  at  one  house,  her  pa- 
rents having  skedaddled.  She 
was  rather  non-committal,  for  she 
did  not  know  whether  the  troops 
were  Union  or  Rebel. 

Two  fine  dogs  made  their  ap- 
pearance while  a  conversation  was 
being  held  with  the  child,  and  she 
informed  one  of  her  Cjuestioner.^ 
that  their  names  were  Gillmore 
and  Beauregard. 

"Which  is  the  best  dog?"  asked 
a  bystander. 

"I  don't  know,"  said  she,  "they 
are  both  mighty  smart  dogs;  but 
they'll  either  of  'em  suck  eggs  if 
you  don't  watch  them." 

The  troops  left  without  ascer- 
taining whether  the  family,  of 
which  the  girl  was  so  hopeful  a 
scion,  was  Rebel  or  Union. 


GENERAL  LEE'S  BILL  OF 
FARE. 

In  General  Lee's  tent  meat  is" 
eaten  but  twice  a  week,  the  Gen- 
eral not  allowing  it  oftener,  be- 
cause he  believes  indulgence  in 
meat  to  be  criminal  in  the  present 
straitened  condition  of  the  coun- 
try. His  ordinary  dinner  consists 
of  a  head  of  cabbage  boiled  in  salt 
water,  and  a  piece  of  corn  bread. 
In  this  connection  rather  a  comic 
story  is  told.  Having  invited  a 
number  of  gentlemen  to  dine  with 
him.  General  Lee,  in  a  fit  of  ex- 
travagance, ordered  a  sumptuous 


112 


repast  of  cabbage  and  middling. 
The  dinner  was  served,  and  be- 
hold, a  great  pile  of  cabbage  and 
a  bit  of  middling  about  four  inch- 
es long  and  two  inches  across. 
The  guests,  with  commendable 
politeness,  unanimously  declined 
middling,  and  it  remained  in  the 
dish  untouched.  Next  day  Gen- 
eral Lee.  "emembering  the  deli- 
cate tidbit  which  had  been  so 
providentially  preserved,  ordered 


his  servant  to  bring  "that  mid- 
dling." The  man  hesitated, 
scratched  his  head,  and  finally 
owned  up:  "De  fac  is,  Mass 
Robert,  dat  ar  middlin'  was  hor- 
rid middlin';  we  all  didn't  hab 
nary  spec:  and  I  done  paid  it  back 
to  de  man  whar  I  got  it  from." 
General  Lee  heaved  a  sigh  of 
deepest  disappointment  and  pitch- 
ed into  his  cabbage. 


AGENTS  WANTED. 

An  active  representative  of  this  Magazine  is 
wanted  in  every  city  and  town.  The  commissions 
are  ample,  the  returns  monthly.  Active  men  or 
women  should  make  from  six  to  twelve  hundred 
dollars  a  year,  with  no  other  outlay  than  the  price 
of  a  single  copy.  The  large  cities  throughout  the 
South  are  unoccupied  fields  and  handsome  incomes 
await  the  early  harvesters.  Address 

WAR  RECORD  PUBLISHING  COMPANY, 

Columbia,  S.  C. 


THE  STATE 

Columbia,  S.  C. 

m  DAILY,  SUNDAY 

AND 

SEMIWEEKLY. 

A  Newspaper  for  all  people  who  wish  to 
be  in  touch  with  everybody  and  every= 
thing. 

Published  by  THE  STATE  COMPANY,  ""TrlnLs. 

BOOKS,  BRIEFS,  WEDDING  and  BALL  INVITATIONS, 

ARTISTIC  PRINTING  OF  EVERY  DESCRIPTION 

113 


973*782      F678    no, 1-2  P21739 


